Into the Void
by Soul Reaver
Summary: A newcomer joins the institute and creates a lasting impression. I took a few creative liberties, flame if neccessary...


Disclaimer:  
  
None of the Star Trek, Star Wars, X-Men Evolution or any other characters in this are mine, I derive no profit from this story save for my own personal enjoyment of getting it read and reviewed.  
  
Into the Void:  
  
Introduction:  
  
In July 2144, a few weeks after the invasion of Chin'Toka, a score of leading Allied combat pilots had a rendezvous at the Corellian Air Force Air Gunnery School in Selonia. They included such illustrious names as Lieutenant Commander Han Solo, the Battle of Corellia ace, and Richard I. Holman, fresh from his victories in the Beta Quadrant. Their task was to prepare the new crop of pilots for readiness for the many bitter air battles over Mangalore to come.  
  
One of the other pilots, Group Captain Tycho Celchu, the famous Alderaanian fighter pilot walked into the anteroom of the officer's mess. There was only one other occupant, an extraordinary figure in battle dress. His tie was loosened and lying at his side was a sword. It was Xenexian in origin with several characters engraved on the hilt. A few seconds later Celchu took a nap himself he was awakened a few seconds later by a shouted order, "You! Get up! Who are you? Provide rank now or leave."  
  
The man replied with two blunt syllables at which the newcomer exploded and ordered him out of the room. The newcomer got up; picked up his battered, oil stained cap and small leather attaché case and walked out of the room.  
  
"Who was that?" Celchu asked of the newcomer, who identified himself as Lieutenant Commander Han Solo, Corellian Navy.  
  
"That was Squadron Leader Jeremiah Cerd, the Wolf of the Desert. He's been doing this for the past two weeks, hanging around in waiting rooms here at the Aerospace Ministry waiting for some fresh faced pilot officer to tick him off so he can tell them where he got off. Don't get me wrong, the kid's an excellent flier, he's just got a few quirks to iron out." Solo replied.  
  
  
  
How it All Began:  
  
Jeremiah Cerd was born on Johto in May 15, 2117, on Rilnar, the so-called Pokemon planet. His mother was a Rilnari while his father was Xenexian. His family resided on Rilnar in the Johto province until the time Jeremiah Cerd was eleven and the family immigrated to Earth in the state of Florida in the city of Orlando. It was when he was fifteen that he and his parents discovered something odd about him. It turned out that while he was playing with his younger cousins he became invisible, undetectable to the naked eye.  
  
A certain Professor Xavier had also discovered Jeremiah Cerd's gift and endeavored to visit him at home. Two of his students, Jean Grey and Scott Summers also accompanied. Both his parents were from societies that had no discriminatory policies toward mutants, but Earth was another story. The Xavier Institute had been founded to educate young men and women with the X- gene on control and many other such topics. It was all the way in Bayville, New York and this was most upsetting to the family oriented Jeremiah Cerd.  
  
"What's so special about me?" said Jeremiah Cerd, "So I'm better at hiding than other people, you hear about that all the time, they're called guerilla fighters."  
  
"Yes, Mr. Cerd, we have heard of guerilla fighters, but they, together with most people don't normally have the ability to totally make themselves disappear from view." Xavier replied.  
  
"So you're saying I'm a freak." said Jeremiah Cerd.  
  
"No," said Jean Grey, speaking for the first time, "We're saying it's a wonderful gift."  
  
"A wonderful gift?" said Jeremiah Cerd.  
  
"It's your call, Mr. Cerd." Xavier replied.  
  
"Mom, dad?" said Jeremiah Cerd, looking uneasy.  
  
"Je're'miah," said his father, "It's your call."  
  
"Son, it's a great opportunity." his mother replied.  
  
"But what about you?" said Cerd.  
  
"We'll be fine. You're bound to leave the nest sometime, we just weren't expecting it so soon." Meridias, Cerd's father, replied, "We'll visit you."  
  
"I'll go." replied Jeremiah Cerd.  
  
"You don't have to go right away." said Xavier, "You have time to be with your family, we'll meet you at the airport at ten tomorrow morning."  
  
Mike and Dave, his cousins, on his mother's side, were with him later. "So you're leaving Jeremiah." Mike said.  
  
"I am." Cerd replied.  
  
"Then I want that Pokemon match you owe me." Mike said.  
  
"Alright." Cerd replied, "Two Pokemon only."  
  
"You only have two Pokemon." Mike replied.  
  
"True, but two ghost Pokemon are all I really need to win." Cerd replied.  
  
"Okay, I choose you, Cyndiquil." Mike replied.  
  
"Gastly, go." Cerd replied.  
  
"Cyndiquil, flamethrower!" Mike yelled excitedly, this was his best knockout attack; he had won his first Johto league badge by using Cyndiquil's flamethrower to beat the gym leader.  
  
Gastly became almost transparent and the flame passed through. "Gastly, disable attack."  
  
Cyndiquil was down and out. "Cyndiquil, return." Mike shouted, "Go Chiquerita."  
  
"Alright, you upped the ante. Gastly, return, Haunter, go for it." Cerd replied.  
  
"Mike," said Dave, "Give up now.."  
  
"Chiquerita, vine whip." Mike replied.  
  
"Haunter, night shade." Cerd replied.  
  
Chiquerita was put to sleep, "Good, now dream eater." Cerd said.  
  
"I guess I still gotta train my Pokemon better." said Mike.  
  
The next day, Cerd was headed for the airport with his family. The goodbyes were exchanged and Cerd's grandfather gave him a gift. He unwrapped it and inside was a Pokeball. Cerd hefted it and from it came a Totodile. "Thanks grandpa." Cerd replied, hugging the old man. He said his goodbyes to his family as he boarded the plane for Bayville.  
  
As the plane took off, Cerd asked Scott Summers, "So, what exactly is the Xavier Institute?"  
  
"It's a place where people like us can learn how to properly use and hone our abilities and to control them as well." Scott replied.  
  
"People like us?" Cerd asked.  
  
"Jeremy," said Jean Grey.  
  
"Just call me Jeremiah, I haven't gone by Jeremy since I was six." Cerd replied.  
  
"Sorry," said Jean, "At any rate, every person at the Xavier Institute has some sort of gift like yours."  
  
"So what's your gift?" Cerd asked.  
  
"Think about something." Jean Grey replied.  
  
Cerd thought and Jean Grey said, "Johto must be a very beautiful place."  
  
"How do you know about that?" said Cerd.  
  
"I can read your thoughts, Jeremiah." Jean replied.  
  
"So, where on Rilnar is your mother from." Scott asked.  
  
"It's outside of Violet City, a large Pokemon breeding area. We have a lot of land put aside for this. My grandparents own this land and my mother and six brothers and sisters were raised there. We raise Woopa, Totodile, and Psyducks in the aquaculture pools. In the grassland we raise Cyndiquil and Chiquerita. We also raise Farfetch'd in the aviary." said Cerd.  
  
The next day Jeremiah Cerd faced his acid test, Bayville High School. "Just stay away from Lance and these other guys that may try and steer you in the wrong direction." Jean Grey said as they rode in Scott's Mazda Miata to the school. Just after his arrival he got to know some of the others at the Xavier Institute quiet well.  
  
"You have at least one of us in almost every class." Scott said, "Good. If you have any trouble, let us know."  
  
"Alright." Cerd replied.  
  
"Except in auto repair." said Kitty Pryde, one of the younger kids. Cerd, Kitty, Kurt, and Evan "Spyke" Daniels, were the freshmen out of the group.  
  
"Auto repair?" said Kurt Wagner.  
  
"Just sounded interesting." Cerd shrugged.  
  
"Then you can help me with all the regular maintenance." Scott said.  
  
"Why did you take Auto Repair?" Kitty asked.  
  
"Just thought it might come in handy." Cerd replied.  
  
The first bell rang and Cerd headed for his first class, English. He took the seat next to Kitty, for she was the only person in that class he actually knew. "Class," said the teacher, motioning for Cerd to stand, "This is Jeremiah Cerd, our new student. He will be here with us for the rest of the year."  
  
"Now we will begin the fifth sa'cra of the Ka'teatch, the cornerstone of Xenexian literature. In this, Ochatka makes his bid to win the hand of Eponine. It really shows just how bloody minded and rooted in warfare Xenexian culture is." said the teacher, Mrs. McCormick.  
  
Cerd began to nod off and sleep, Kitty tried to wake him when Mrs. McCormick spotted him sleeping, "Now, Mr. Cerd," said McCormick triumphantly, cornering him with a question, "What was the outcome of Ochatka's battle with Kosst of Amojan?"  
  
"Ochatka defeated Kosst of Amojan in the games but failed to win Eponine's hand for she still loved Amojan despite Ochatka's victory. Ochatka proceeded to vow vengeance upon Kosst of Amojan and his kin, thus beginning a war that was to last fifty years if I'm not mistaken, concluding with the Battle of H'undai, in which both warriors lay mortally wounded beside one another." Cerd replied.  
  
Astonished, Mrs. McCormick said, "Mr. Cerd, have you been reading ahead?"  
  
"In a sense, I was required to recite the entire epic, line by line at my First Rite of Ascension." Cerd replied.  
  
"You're a Xenexian I assume?" McCormick said.  
  
"Half Xenexian, half Rilnari." Cerd replied.  
  
After class, Kitty fell into step beside Cerd, "Jeremiah," she said.  
  
Cerd turned, "Yes."  
  
"Is that why you fell asleep, you know the story by heart." said Kitty.  
  
"No." Cerd grinned, "I fell asleep because my family tells that story in a much more lively manner than Mrs. McCormick."  
  
Kitty laughed, "Yeah, Mrs. McCormick's lectures can be boring."  
  
"No kidding." Cerd replied, "My dad or my uncle used to read me the entire Ka'teatch, one sa'cra every night."  
  
"Didn't they think it was a bit too violent." Kitty said, "I mean, the part where what's-his-name buries his sword into that guy's head is pretty violent."  
  
"Among Xenexians a boy is considered a man the day he can heft a blade." Cerd replied.  
  
"How old were you when they started telling that story?" Kitty asked.  
  
"Seven." Cerd replied.  
  
Cerd's next class was biology, and he had that class with Kurt Wagner. Because of this, the teacher assigned them as lab partners. "You may begin." the teacher said.  
  
"Phew!" said Kurt, "That thing does STINK!"  
  
The dead frog lay out before them smelled strongly of formaldehyde. Cerd took the scalpel and began to make the small, surgical cut with no sign of wincing but no sign of enjoyment.  
  
The class ended and Cerd went off to auto repair. He had Todd Tolanski, one of the kids the others warned him about, in that class. He was no trouble until lunchtime.  
  
"Jeremiah," said Kitty from the table, "Sit."  
  
Cerd was on his way to the table when Todd Tolanski tripped him. "I saw you cutting open one of my own."  
  
"Shut up, Frog boy." Cerd growled, getting up.  
  
"I move too fast for you!" said Tolanski, "I move way to fast for you."  
  
Todd was jumping around and Cerd responded so quickly it was as if he wasn't moving at all. His fist struck Tolanski in the temple and struck a pressure point with such precision that Tolanski was unconscious before he even fully realized it.  
  
"Mr. Cerd." Mrs. Darkholm said, "I'll see you in detention."  
  
On the drive back, Scott had a few words with Jeremiah Cerd, "He wasn't worth it."  
  
"The kid tried to cause me harm, I gave harm back to him. We're even." Cerd replied.  
  
"A trip being repaid by a punch to the temple is hardly even paying." Jean replied.  
  
"I didn't kill him, what's the big deal." Cerd replied.  
  
"You're the first Xenexian, or half Xenexian for that matter that I've met." Scott said, "They must be right when they say your people live to settle scores, such as the Danteri incident."  
  
"M'k'n'zy of Calhoun led the revolt because the Danteri were oppressing us. In that case we needed to 'settle the score' in order to throw off the Danteri rule." Cerd replied.  
  
"True." Kitty added, "But Todd, Lance, and the rest of them are just jerks. They just do that to bait people."  
  
"I thought Rilnari were all peaceful and crap." Spyke chimed in.  
  
"True." Cerd said, "Keep in mind, though, that I am not fully Rilnari."  
  
"You're not fully Xenexian either." said Jean Grey.  
  
"I know that." Cerd replied, irritated, "I don't know, it's as if I have two personalities fighting eternally inside my head. The personalities of a peaceful man when I'm with people I consider friends, but when I'm angry, my worse shows, the savage within."  
  
"You certainly intelligent enough to know that you have this 'savage within', the question is, how are you going to deal with him." said Scott.  
  
"I don't know, perhaps you have a few suggestions." said Cerd.  
  
"I don't know." Jean Grey said, "What activities do you enjoy?"  
  
"Well, the training sims on the holodeck of all kinds, computer games, all kinds of stuff." Cerd replied.  
  
"Physical stuff?" said Spyke.  
  
"Well, a lot of my training sims are fighting sims." said Cerd.  
  
"That explains how you laid out Tolanski. That was kinda cool." said Kurt.  
  
Scott gave Kurt a look, "Right, sorry."  
  
Kurt gave Cerd a 'can you teach me that sometime.' look. "Why do you have so many fighting sims?" Jean asked.  
  
"I have to, my Second Rite of Ascension is this coming summer." Cerd replied.  
  
"There are two Rites of Ascension?" Kitty asked.  
  
"Two." Cerd replied, "All Xenexian youth must undergo these rites."  
  
"There's this one kid, Marn Laren, she has a tattoo of some kind on her right arm. It looks like the head of a wolf." Kitty said, "What does it mean?"  
  
"Among Xenexian youth undergoing the Second Rite of Ascension which is one where we are taught the ways of the warrior. Each cohort has it's own distinct mark, Marn Laren, whoever she is, must belong to the Cohort of the Wolf." Cerd replied.  
  
Scott was lining up the others for their self-defense work out in the garden. These workouts were ones he held every afternoon. He found Jeremiah Cerd sitting on a bench, his legs crossed, his hands folded in front in a meditative pose.  
  
"It's a Rilnari religious pose. We come in touch with the spirit realm, the spirits of our ancestors, for guidance." Cerd replied.  
  
"That's cool." Scott said, "But what is Xenexian religion like."  
  
"Vastly more warlike and barbaric. Rilnar may have been the original home world but 5,000 years ago Xenex was a penal colony for Rilnar and the religion became more savage and warlike among the Xenexians." Cerd replied.  
  
During the exercise, Cerd made a challenge to Scott for a sparring match, contest rules to prevent injury. "I wouldn't do that if I were you." Kurt said.  
  
"Yeah," Kitty chimed in, "Scott's pretty good."  
  
"We'll see about that." Cerd replied. "I trained under Brin Andor, a student of Janos Koval, one of the finest hand to hand combat instructors. He is skilled enough that nobility from dozens of worlds send their young to be trained in self defense by him."  
  
Many Xenexian martial arts such as Aakrit'ar are not conducive to full contact sparring of any sort because that particular art is designed to be lethal and is not easily controlled. However, other Xenexian martial arts, such as Mok'tuvor, similar to Earth's aikido art, are conducive to such exercise. The two bowed as they faced each other.  
  
Cerd struck a practiced Mok'tuvor battle stance, as Scott assumed his own fighting stance. They circled each other warily, assessing one another for weaknesses and strengths. Then in a blur of motion, Scott was on the ground and Cerd was flying through the air but he didn't land with the breath- paralyzing thud a well-executed throw would produce. He landed lightly and whirled to face Scott.  
  
"Banzai." Scott said.  
  
"Arigato." Cerd replied.  
  
They made several more tentative passes, each parrying the other's attacks, neither combatant gaining headway against his foe.  
  
Kurt said, "We could likely be here all day."  
  
"Yeah, tell me about it." said Kitty.  
  
"I bet Cerd knocks out Scott." said Spyke, "He's pretty good."  
  
It was then Cerd chose to commit to an attack to a perceived weakness. Their movements were a blur and when they slowed down again, Scott was tucking Cerd's left foot into his right ear, a poor fit. Cerd slapped the ground with a free hand and Scott released him. They bowed again, "I forgot to mention, my instructor, Jiro Kanichawa, was also a student of Janos Koval."  
  
"So I quickly surmised." Cerd replied.  
  
"Let's try again some other time, for fun, and honor." Scott replied.  
  
"To face such a formidable fighter is a challenge." Cerd replied, "I accept."  
  
"You should enter a tournament one of these days, you're not so bad yourself." Scott replied.  
  
"I'll think about it." Cerd replied.  
  
At dinner, the match was one of the major conversational topics. "Did you see Scott and Jeremiah spar, Auntie." said Spyke.  
  
"Yeah, it was awesome." said Kurt.  
  
"Where did you learn to fight like that?" Kitty asked.  
  
"My father enrolled me in Master Andor's school when I was eleven, I've been training this way for over four years." Cerd replied, "That was in anticipation of my Second Rite of Ascension."  
  
"Why are your people so engrossed in this warrior stuff?" Rogue asked, "Don't they have other things to worry about?"  
  
"Three hundred years ago, the Danteri conquered our people, bringing about much oppression and tyranny. They savagely quashed all uprisings against their rule until M'k'n'zy of Calhoun drove the Danteri off our world." Cerd replied.  
  
"Any relation to Mackenzie Calhoun?" Logan asked.  
  
"Yes Mr. Logan, M'k'n'zy of Calhoun and Mackenzie Calhoun are one and the same." Cerd replied, "Xenexian names tend to be difficult to pronounce by human standards, so we normally modify them to be more pronounceable. For example, on Xenex my name is  
  
Je're'miah of Cerd but on Earth Jeremiah is the closest human tongues can come to it's pronunciation, so I became Jeremiah Cerd when I came to Earth."  
  
"Did you see this war?" Kurt asked.  
  
"No, I wasn't even born yet." Cerd replied  
  
Months went by and Cerd began to fit in with the others at the Xavier Institute. He considered many of the people at the Xavier Institute to be his friends. His closest male friends were Kurt and Spyke. Out of the girls, Kitty was one of his best friends. Jean Grey and Scott Summers were sort of mentor figures in his mind. Rogue was okay, but she was so distrusting it was difficult to hold any sort of conversation with her. Mr. Logan was a tad intimidating, what with his nearly indestructible body and pugnacious attitude. Professor Xavier and Ororo Monroe were the equivalents of the Xenexian chieftain and village shaman respectively.  
  
Cerd was looking through the want ads one morning and he circled an entry under cars for sale with a marker. As he walked down the corridors and into Scott's car, Kitty took the seat beside him while Spyke and Kurt took the ones on his other side.  
  
"You got a car lined up?" said Spyke.  
  
"Alright!" Kurt said, "What kind is it?"  
  
"It's a 2122 Chevrolet Corvette, at a real bargain price too. I've got six thousand credits in my car fund, and it's mine for 4,500." Cerd replied. The car was over eleven years old but according to Cerd, all it needed was a little work.  
  
"Okay," said Kitty, "I'd be careful if I were you."  
  
"That's why I took auto repair," Cerd replied, "If I've got any problems I can handle 'em."  
  
They went to look at the car. It was a dog, with multiple dings, scratches, and a crack in the back windshield in addition to the once blue paint scheme being all but sanded off on one door panel. The engine, however, was still running fine and the tires were okay, was what really mattered as Cerd conducted a thorough inspection of the vehicle.  
  
"That thing's a piece of junk." said Kurt.  
  
"It adds to the flavor," Cerd replied, "I'll get to work on it over the summer and it'll start looking good."  
  
Cerd made the payment and got to work on the car after school. He held a job to pay for his insurance, working odd jobs around town. He spent some time doing repairs, but the car still looked somewhat beat up. He added a new tape deck, vacuumed and washed the interior and exterior and fixed the worst of the dents. He still had to get paint on it, but it was still his car. The summer was about to start and the students were on their way to spend some time with their families.  
  
Parent's day came first, though and Kitty was giving her mother and father a tour of the Institute when she saw Cerd working on his car, just replacing a couple bolts when his parents walked in. Jeremiah seemed especially glad to see them and his father gave his car a once over, gave him the thumbs up, while his mother looked somewhat shocked by it's rough appearance.  
  
A woman in a nurse's uniform followed by another man, her husband, and two boys also were with him. "My cousins, aunt, and uncle." Cerd said, introducing them.  
  
"Jeremiah," said Mike, "That car's a piece of junk."  
  
"Yeah, it's a mess." said Dave.  
  
"Mike, I guarantee when you reach your sixteenth birthday, you'll be wanting this baby." Cerd replied, placing a hand on the car as he leaned against it.  
  
"No way." Mike said, "I'm not gonna buy some ancient 'Vette."  
  
The next month was July, when Cerd had to leave for Xenex for three weeks for his Second Rite of Ascension. All Xenexian youth when they reached their sixteenth birthdays were required to undergo it. Jeremiah's family was with him when he arrived on Xenex, but some unexpected company appeared.  
  
"Guys?" Cerd said, seeing his friends from the Xavier Institute at the Airport of Calhoun, Xenex's capital city.  
  
"We figured we'd come along for some emotional support." Scott said.  
  
Cerd grinned as a stern male voice of the Orator echoed, "All acolytes assemble immediately."  
  
A group of young Xenexians gathered in the Great Square of Xenex as the Orator read out the decree of the Presider of the Second Rite of Ascension. "You stand here before the Elders as boys and girls, but you will emerge as men and women and most importantly warriors. Your cohort will be closer to you for the next few weeks than whomever you hold dear and close, they are your brothers and sisters. Proceed."  
  
As the others watched the group of young Xenexians, some excited, some nervous, some a little of both. Cerd looked back toward his friends and family as he too was herded off with the others. First the Xenexians were divided into their cohorts and issued khaki acolyte uniforms. Second the cohorts divided off and met with their individual Patriarch or Matriarch, the title given to the cohort's leader. The Cohort of the Wolf was Cerd's unit.  
  
"I am Aelious of Proximo, and for the next few weeks I will be far closer to you than your mother, your creator, the one who brought you into this world screaming. You will obey me and the individual Centurions I assign to lead your groups."  
  
Proximo was the Patriarch of the two hundred or so individuals that made up the Cohort of the Wolf. One of his Centurions immense men wearing a uniform similar to that of the Acolytes but where theirs were plain and with no decoration save for nametags, his had the mark of the Centurion. "Haken." Proximo said, naming the powerful man.  
  
The Centurion was hideously over muscled, with the shoulders of a water buffalo and the strength and temper to match. He and three other Centurions lead their centuries for the first order of business in the infirmary. The medical exam was concluded and the medics stepped forth with laser scalpels.  
  
"What are those for?" said a slightly built young man who gave the appearance of being an academic, not a fighter.  
  
"Who are you to ask?" said Ikat'ika, one of the nearby Centurions.  
  
"It was an honest question, Centurion." Cerd said, coming to the slight man's defense.  
  
"Keep your place half-breed." Ikat'ika replied, "I am he who calls the orders here."  
  
"And you," said Haken, "Name yourself."  
  
"Taran of Bakis, Centurion." the slight man replied.  
  
"You will go first, and you, half-breed." Haken replied.  
  
The two sat down as the medics came forth and lasered the Cohort of the Wolf's emblem into the right bicep of their patients. Bakis started screaming, "Shut up, you pathetic coward." Cerd growled through clenched teeth.  
  
"I shouldn't have come." said Bakis, tearfully, "I only did this so I could go into politics. I want to be a diplomat, I can already speak seven languages."  
  
"Good, then you can scream in seven languages tomorrow." said Haken.  
  
"This mark says that you, now and forever, are members of the Cohort of the Wolf. You will hold our proud traditions for as long as you shall live." Proximo replied.  
  
Each of the Acolytes was given a short bladed wooden sword and sent out to face their Centurions and squad leaders, who were also similarly armed. "Half breed." Haken said, calling Cerd forward.  
  
Cerd threw himself angrily at the insulting instructor. Haken, thick necked and belligerent, a classic bully who had found his ideal calling by knocking away the newcomer's swords and landing them in the dirt with painful blows, steadied his weapon. Cerd came in fast; his blade making parrying moves that knocked away Haken's first half dozen attacks. That was merely for show, for Haken brought his sword around and struck Cerd in the abdomen, knocking him down. Cerd wasn't about to give up, he got up again and Haken struck him in his newly scarred arm, knocking him down again. Cerd stood a third time, glowering and Haken, enraged, drew back his sword, ready to do real damage when Proximo said, "Enough! His time will come, but not today."  
  
"Next." said Haken. He faced an ebony skinned lad, well muscled, but not as powerful as Haken, stood up.  
  
"Name?" Haken said.  
  
"Juba of Numidia." he replied.  
  
Haken knocked him down as well. Later, in the barracks, Juba sat next to Cerd on his bunk as Cerd took a look at a picture of himself and his friends from the Xavier Institute. Behind that picture was a smaller one of he and Kitty at Homecoming. She wasn't his date, but they still danced with each other.  
  
"Your girl?" Juba said.  
  
"No," Cerd replied, "She's just a friend."  
  
"Why did you not stay down the first time? It's obvious that you were no match for Haken." Juba replied.  
  
"I had to show him that I would fight to the last." Cerd replied.  
  
"I'm afraid Haken would've killed you if Proximo hadn't stopped him." Juba replied, "What's you're name, my friend?"  
  
"Je're'miah of Cerd."  
  
"Juba of Numidia."  
  
The next day, they were ordered to fight in a holographic arena in groups of ten, with the safety protocols on, however. None of the acolytes were aware that they were on a holodeck, so they were convinced they were battling with real weapons against real enemies. The fear was further increased by hypnosis into the belief that this was a real battle.  
  
Proximo ordered each person to pair up with an assigned partner, linked by a chain four feet long. Haken was leading the first ten-man team into the arena. "The gods favor you." Haken said, indicating a dark splotch on Cerd's chest, "Red is the god's color. You will need their help today."  
  
Their opponents were andabatae, warriors garbed in armor making them resemble fearsome beasts of Xenexian legend. The andabatae wore mail shirts, their sword arms protected by jointed metal, and helmets. They carried swords, battle-axes, and five tined tridents. The acolytes had only their simple tunics, small round shields and short swords. One person on their two man teams carried the shield, the other, a sword. Cerd carried the shield, while Juba, his partner, carried a sword. Haken was chained to Taran of Bakis; the little man was cowering, weeping with fear. The massive Centurion didn't even look down; he didn't plan to be tethered to the pathetic little wretch for long. The arena doors crashed open and sunlight streamed in. The first acolyte charged outward, only to be struck down by a spiked ball wielded by an andabata. Blood gushed copiously outward as a dozen andabatae went to attack their quarry.  
  
'It's only a simulation.' Kitty thought, sickened by the sight of the first acolyte being 'killed' by the andabata. The others had similar feelings as well, Kurt Wagner looked like he was going to vomit as he saw the following scene.  
  
Haken went after the warrior dressed as Minotaur, half man, half bull, dragging the cowering, weeping Bakis along with him.  
  
Cerd and Juba were assailed by two andabatae, which bore down on them intent on their simulated deaths. Cerd struck the andabata that came after him with a relentless fury, convinced that if he had to die he was going to kill as many andabata that he could kill. He used his shield as a weapon striking the andabata three times before the man hit the ground and caved in his throat.  
  
Juba was fighting another andabata wielding a sword and an axe. He knocked away the sword but the axe was crashing towards him when Cerd pulled him away.  
  
Haken fought with massive power, dragging the weeping Bakis everywhere he went. He slashed toward the masked figure, gathered Bakis toward him and threw him onto the end of the Minotaur's sword. He drove the Minotaur back, turned to hack off Bakis' hand to release himself and waded back into the fight and stabbed the Minotaur through the chest.  
  
Now armed with a sword, Cerd and Juba fought off two more andabatae attacking them. Cerd rammed his sword through an andabata's chest and pulled it back out again. Of the five Proximo teams, one was killed off immediately, two were down to one man, and another was hacking its way to safety.  
  
A weighted net ensnared one man and one of the andabatae pair that attacked slew him with a trident. The other, wielding a sword, raised both arms triumphantly when Haken attacked him from behind, flailing with the chain that still had Bakis' hand attached to it. He struck the andabata again before he had a chance to regain equilibrium, and then started punching him in the gut and viciously throwing him onto a spike on the arena wall.  
  
The trident wielder went after Cerd and Juba who parried his attacks with their sword and when his weapon was parried by Juba, Cerd ran forth, slashing him across the bicep and impaling him on the trident. The andabata was down, but he got back up, shakily and Juba and Cerd charged him, using their chain to garrote their foe, smashing him into the wall. The andabata didn't get back up again. Cerd and the others then heard three unexpected words from Proximo, "Computer end program."  
  
Cerd and the others saw their 'dead' comrades, hale and hearty; Bakis' hand was clearly still in place even though the 'survivors' swore they saw Haken hack it off when he threw Bakis into the Minotaur's sword. "The point of that exercise was not simply survival, but how to fight as a team. Unless you are a powerful fighter, like Haken, and not even then in most cases, you will not survive unless you work together." Proximo said.  
  
Elsewhere: "That was sooo gruesome." Kitty said.  
  
"Yeah, especially when the big dude sliced off the little dude's hand." said Kurt.  
  
"That was an unfair fight if I ever saw one." Jean chimed in.  
  
"That hypnotism thing was really low too, man." said Spyke.  
  
"That wasn't nearly as sickening as that guy's head being smashed by the spiked ball." Kitty said.  
  
"Hey." said Logan, "I don't think it's that appetizing either, but the Xenexians are trying to toughen up their kids."  
  
A man in the uniform of the Earth Alliance Navy with the rank insignia of commander on his collar was observing the entire conversation. He was a swarthy man, with purple eyes, and a scar running down the left side of his face. "Very perceptive." he said in reply to Logan's statement.  
  
"Who are you?" said Logan.  
  
"M'k'n'zy of Calhoun, or better known as Commander Mackenzie Calhoun, of the USS Grissom." the man replied.  
  
"Jeremiah told us about you and the war with the Danteri." Jean added.  
  
Calhoun stroked his scar, thoughtfully, as several of the Xavier Institute students were looking at it, "This was a souvenir from one of their royal family, the commander of the Danteri occupation army, Falkar. This is his sword, the one that laid open half my face."  
  
Calhoun hefted a short sword with an elaborate and ornate hilt, "So what happened to Falkar, Mr. Calhoun?" asked Kurt.  
  
"I killed him with his own sword." Calhoun replied, "My nephew knows the whole story."  
  
"Your nephew?" Kitty said, "We have a kid who's half-Xenexian, half Rilnari, at our school, he told us that story."  
  
"And what is his name?" Calhoun asked.  
  
"Jeremiah Cerd." Kitty replied.  
  
"My nephew." Calhoun replied.  
  
"Your nephew?" said Kitty.  
  
"My nephew." said Calhoun, "Je're'miah of Cerd is my nephew. His father is my half-brother."  
  
"He never told us that!" said Kurt, "Wow, a real live freedom fighter is Jeremiah's uncle!"  
  
"Je're'miah's like that, he feels he has to live up to his perception of my expectations before he can be acknowledged as my nephew." Calhoun replied, "I don't even require that of him, but he still feels that way nonetheless."  
  
"Perhaps it's because you're such an extraordinary figure in his life, both you and his father, and he feels he must measure up." Xavier added.  
  
"Yeah, he's been training for this for a while." said Scott.  
  
"He's gotten better, obviously." Kurt said, laughing, "He knocked you unconscious on your last sparring exercise."  
  
"That was a fluke, anyway, when I got up, I threw him right over the horizon." Scott replied.  
  
Men. Jean Grey thought.  
  
The Second Rite of Ascension concluded with a final battle, a re-enactment of the fierce battle in which the Danteri suffered their most ruinous defeat. M'k'n'zy of Calhoun had lead this fearsome struggle in which very few Danteri emerged alive from the struggle.  
  
Each Xenexian youth in this battle, and it was quite a sizable one with every cohort fighting in the massive hologram auditorium. Again they were hypnotized into believing that this simulated battle was in fact reality. Each had a plasma blaster and sufficient power packs and an edged melee weapon of some sort as a back up.  
  
An assortment of body armor was laid out before them and they each chose the pieces they wanted or, for those who were among the last, make do with what was left. Cerd had selected a hard leather breastplate along with a guard that protected his upper bicep of his right arm, a perceived weak spot as the scarring had not completely healed yet. He also had a set of bracers for his wrists.  
  
The Xenexians sallied forth to face the Danteri outside the city of Calhoun. The friends and families of the combatants against this simulated but no less frightening Danteri army watched this mass battle from the stands.  
  
The fighting first started out with blasting hand weapons but very quickly became a mass free for all as the Xenexians crashed headlong into the Danteri line with savage war cries and oaths of vengeance. Blasters were still being fired, but many of the Xenexians drew their blades and began carving their way into the Danteri ranks. The Danteri fought back fiercely, stopping the first wave cold and suddenly more Xenexians charged over the horizon into the fray as Danteri reinforcements began to appear as well. The battle turned into an all out melee fought with short swords and knives.  
  
Cerd chose a Danteri built like a lodge pole for his first assault, he was clearly the leader of a stubborn knot of Danteri warriors that were cutting painful wounds into Xenexian ranks. He slashed him across the stomach and the huge man sunk to his knees whereupon Cerd slashed him across the throat. Five other Danteri warriors went down in the following manner to Cerd's quick and efficient slashes. The sixth was wielding both a sword and a force pike. Cerd grabbed another sword for this fight and began to parry the Danteri warrior's blows with each weapon and a weakness opened and Cerd thrust both swords into his enemy's chest. He pulled the swords out and swung them in a motion that decapitated his opponent.  
  
Haken fought with massive power and strength, using a weighted mace as well as a sword in this close range melee. He swung the spiked club and crushed the skull of an attacking Danteri and beheading another with his sword.  
  
Juba was just killing another Danteri when he looked up; saw another Danteri, a powerful, six foot one shouting orders, rallying an ad hoc group of survivors against the Xenexian assault. "The leader! Kill the leader!" said Juba, but over the din of fighting he couldn't be heard.  
  
Bakis was dodging among swords and daggers, parrying, but trying to use his blaster as often as possible, to prevent the Danteri from getting close. He heard Juba's shout and tried to get off a blast but Falkar, the Danteri leader, saw the Xenexian leveling the blaster and snapped off a shot drilling the Xenexian through the throat. Bakis went down coughing.  
  
"The leader! Get him!" said Cerd, taking up Juba's rallying cry and slashing his way through a line of Danteri to reach Juba.  
  
"Get out there! Come on!" Haken added, herding another half dozen bloodied, battered, and confused Xenexians into the fight.  
  
The Xenexians slashed their way toward Falkar, whose troops formed a defensive ring of blades, armor, and flesh around their besieged leader, as other Xenexians took up the cry and hacked their way towards the Danteri leader, Falkar.  
  
The Xenexians fought with frenzied vigor, as they realized that if Falkar were killed, the Danteri would lose heart and flee. However, Falkar's guards weren't going to make this easy, if anything, their ferocity intensified. Haken had just cut down a Danteri warrior, and stooped to retrieve his sword, which was embedded, up to the hilt, in the Danteri's chest. A plasma bolt struck him in the leg as a Danteri warrior, who had been aiming at him, had his shot foiled by Juba body checking him.  
  
"Haken!" Cerd shouted and his sword was a blur, slashing across the belly of a Danteri attempting to run Haken through with a sword.  
  
Falkar was no pushover; he was as formidable a warrior as they came, as an unfortunate Xenexian, drunk with near triumph and convinced of his own indestructibility attacked. Falkar brutally stabbed the boy through the abdomen, leaving him to die.  
  
"Cover me!" Haken yelled. Cerd, Juba and several other Xenexians formed up alongside him, hacking through the remaining guards with focused ferocity, taking casualties and meting them out as they were given.  
  
Falkar saw the enormous giant of the man bearing down on him almost a millisecond too late. He parried his attacker's sword and was about to counterthrust when a mace came crashing down. He blocked this attack a well and had to block another one that was coming in from the side. Falkar raised his sword, ready to run the massive attacker through when the blade flashed towards him. The sword clattered to the ground. Falkar's head joined it a moment later along with the rest of his body.  
  
First one Danteri then another, followed by a large contingent began to realize two things. One that their leader, Falkar, was dead, and second that this was not a healthy place to be. They fled, hacking their way to safety with their swords and daggers, leaving several of their number dead. The sight of the massive Xenexian holding Falkar's head in his hand by the long hair of his head, took the fighting spirit out of the Danteri.  
  
"Xenexa Aertna (Xenex is free)!" shouted Haken.  
  
"Xenexa Invicta (And long free Xenex shall remain)!" came the reply.  
  
D'ndai of Calhoun, one of the ruling council of Xenex, said, "The Cohort of the Wolf did well in battle."  
  
"Good! I would hardly say well! Their performance was unsurpassed by any other cohort and at a vast cost as well." Proximo shouted, "We started out with two hundred and forty men. One hundred and fifteen still stand, one hundred of them are cleaved and bloodied, and over one hundred and thirty five are dead."  
  
"This was merely a simulation." said D'ndai, "There is no need to be upset."  
  
Later, they stood again in the Great Square of Xenex, "If you chose to follow further the way of the warrior, the choice is yours and no one else's. These swords you each have been given, while somewhat symbolic for those who elect not to become warriors are no less deadly that the simulated ones you carried into battle, or simulated battle. Remember, you are now young men and women, hold your heads high and carry that pride wherever you may roam." D'ndai said. He bore a resemblance to M'k'n'zy the only difference being that he was taller, had much more girth than his brother, courtesy of the good eating he enjoyed as a member of the ruling council, and there was no scar. Also his style was far fancier than normal for Xenexians, he was clad in deep purple, with high boots, a ceremonial, but no less deadly, sword hanging at his hip.  
  
As Cerd went off to his family and friends, Haken stopped him, holding a laser welder in one hand. "Je're'miah," said Haken, "You fought well."  
  
Haken then proceeded to carve two intricate Xenexian symbols. "What do those mean?" Kitty asked.  
  
Cerd looked at them, "It means 'Courageous and Loyal'. A Xenexian's achievements are etched onto the sword throughout his life, the sword of the older men tend to have many such etchings.  
  
Cerd etched his own mark onto Haken's blade; 'Great Strength' is what it meant.  
  
Back on Earth, another school year was imminent and the kids of the Xavier Institute finished off their summers with their families. When Cerd returned, he had the Corvette running, but it still needed various aesthetic details. He already fixed the worst of the dings, now, with a driver's license in his pocket; Cerd was ready to take to the road.  
  
He had finished making two mix tapes for the tape deck of his 'Vette over the summer and had music ready to be played. He was just walking to his car when he was nearly knocked over by Kitty Pryde, "Jeremiah?" she said, "Have you seen Scott and the others anywhere?"  
  
"They just left." Cerd replied.  
  
"Oh no." she replied, "Could you give me a ride?"  
  
"Sure, hop on." Cerd said, getting into the driver's seat of his beloved Corvette. Kitty got into the passenger seat and Cerd inserted a tape. The beginning lyrics of Enter Sandman echoed through the car as Cerd got onto the road and pushed down on the pedal.  
  
As they rode down toward school, Kitty found a packet under her seat, it was a West Point information Prospectus.  
  
"I've always had an interest in flying." Cerd said, "And also the military. After my Second Rite of Ascension it just clicked all of a sudden, I could join the Earth Alliance Army Air Corps."  
  
"There are other military schools, you know." Kitty said.  
  
"I know, I want to go to West Point though." Cerd replied.  
  
"That's only a few hours drive away from.... Oh no! Look out!" Kitty shouted, Cerd was coming up fast behind a green convertible. He deftly avoided maneuvering away from it and the 'Vette rocketed past.  
  
"That was Mrs. Darkholm," said Kitty, "She's running awfully late."  
  
"Don't look now." Cerd motioned, "I think she's following us."  
  
"Don't be paranoid, she does teach at our school." Kitty said, trying to mask that she was, in fact, a little creeped out.  
  
"I'll prove it to you." Cerd replied. He switched lanes and Mrs. Darkholm followed them.  
  
"Told you." Cerd replied.  
  
"Mrs. Darkholm, did you hear that she's Mystique." said Kitty.  
  
"Mystique? Oh, Magneto's helper, yeah." Cerd replied.  
  
"Why would she want us?" Kitty asked, "Why break the disguise all of a sudden?"  
  
"I don't know, bait for a trap, most likely." Cerd replied, breaking away and pushing hard on the gas pedal.  
  
"Jeremiah, don't over strain that engine..." Kitty said.  
  
"Don't worry about it, that V6 I have under the hood will really outpace her Cabrio in no time."  
  
"Jeremiah, I wouldn't..." Kitty said.  
  
Cerd suddenly made a very hard turn toward the school and Mystique was going too fast to turn around. "Told you we'd outrun her." Cerd replied, as they stepped out of the car, just in time for school. He leaned against his car, "And you guys said this thing was a piece of junk."  
  
"I'll talk to you later Jeremiah, I'll see you second period." Kitty said.  
  
When Cerd walked into second period, Kitty wasn't there. He went and found Scott and the others at lunchtime. "Jeremiah, have you seen Kitty?" said Scott.  
  
"No, I haven't." Cerd replied.  
  
"She rode to school with you, didn't she?" asked Jean Grey.  
  
"She did." Cerd replied, "I last saw her when we got to the parking lot. She said that she'd see me second period."  
  
"I'll contact Xavier." Scott replied.  
  
"We got chased by Mystique on the way to school too." Cerd added.  
  
"Do you think she was kidnapped?" said Jean.  
  
"Possibility." Scott replied, "I got the go ahead, we need to take action."  
  
"Lets go beat up Lance and that group." Cerd replied.  
  
"Cerd, don't you dare." said Jean.  
  
"If they're holding Kitty, our best bet is to hear their demands and then ." said Jean.  
  
"Jean, this is what we'll do." said Scott.  
  
Jeremiah Cerd was being banged around inside the rickety wooden crate labeled spare parts. His invisibility trick was working well, even if any of the Brotherhood were to peer into the crate, they wouldn't see anything. He had to locate Kitty's position and radio the others as well.  
  
Suddenly, brutally he was dragged into daylight by a huge ham fisted hand. The Blob stood over him, saying, "Well well, look what the cat dragged in."  
  
Cerd kicked out with both heels to the Blob's chest, staggering him a grand total of one inch. Out of the corner of his eye he could see Kitty seated in a wooden chair, secured to it by electricians tape in generous amounts including some of it across her mouth. Next to her was a blinking electronic gadget.  
  
Cerd's legs scissored upwards snagging the Blob's head between his knees. While in mid-air, he twisted, sending the Blob to the ground with an earthshaking thud. He leaped clear before he hit the ground and as the Blob started to rise, he kicked out with his right leg, pivoting on his right, connecting with the lower half of the Blob's face. It didn't hurt him any more than the last three attacks had but it served to knock him off balance for the time being. He realized to his dismay that the Blob could afford to be knocked down a dozen times and still keep getting up, most likely getting angrier each time. He decided discretion was the better part of valor and charged out of the room.  
  
Storm focused the power of lightning onto an electrical junction node and fried the circuitry like fried chicken. The lights went out and Nightcrawler teleported into the room. Cerd joined him along with Cyclops who had teleported with Nightcrawler. "Some kind of device is blunting our mutant powers." Cyclops said.  
  
"Easy to deal with." Cerd replied and threw the device against the floor, destroying it. Kitty phased out of her bonds and the four of them left the room to a successful rescue.  
  
Later: "Jeremiah, you and Jean are the only two that don't have nicknames." Kitty said.  
  
"Why, you got one in mind?" Cerd replied.  
  
"How about Spook?" Kitty said.  
  
"Too weird, even for me." Cerd replied.  
  
She followed him into the garage where he was doing yet another job on his Corvette, "How about Specter?" said Kitty.  
  
"That's my Haunter's name, I don't think he'd like it." Cerd replied.  
  
Haunter popped out of the Pokeball and said "Haunt haunt haunt."  
  
"He agrees I see," Kitty said, "How about Ghost?"  
  
"Yeah, perfect." Cerd replied, grinning, "Thanks. Say Kitty."  
  
"Yeah?" she said.  
  
"How does this nickname for my car sound, Ramblin' Man." Cerd replied.  
  
"You request that song a lot from the Classic Rock Station, it sounds great." Kitty replied.  
  
A few months later Cerd was getting ready to go home for the summer, as were the other people at the Institute. When he came back, the others surprised him with a surprise late birthday party.  
  
"Whoa!" Cerd said, "Thanks guys! I don't know what to say!"  
  
"You're already seventeen but since we couldn't all go to Florida we decided to surprise you anyway." Jean said.  
  
"You guys are practically the best friends I've ever had." Cerd replied.  
  
He blew out the candles and opened his gifts, he opened Kurt's gift, it was a CD by the Allman Brothers, the album titled Ramblin' Man. "Hey, you listen to that song all the time, I figured you might like this to add to your mix tapes."  
  
"Thanks Kurt." Cerd replied.  
  
He opened Kitty's gift, it was a license plate with the words Ramblin' Man written in red letters on it. "That's to advertise to Mystique that she's going to have a hard time catching the Ramblin' Man."  
  
"Put them all on the defensive. Kitty you're all heart." Cerd replied.  
  
"What's in the box?" said Jean.  
  
"Oh, that's Mike, my cousin's, gift to me. A guide called Corvette Maintenance." Cerd said, "I've been looking all over for this book."  
  
"And there's Dave's gift, he gave me a funny plaque, Ten Ways to Sell a Lemon." Cerd added.  
  
"When are you going to get rid of that thing?" said Spyke.  
  
"Not ever Daniels, it's the Ramblin' man or nothing else." Cerd replied.  
  
"I bet that changes when you get married and have kids." Kitty said.  
  
"I'll remember that, Kitty." Cerd said, grinning back, "I'll pay up when I finally do get married, if ever."  
  
"I'll show up at the chapel just to remind you and collect interest." said Kitty.  
  
"You're on." Cerd replied.  
  
"Jeremiah, another flight?" said Scott, who already had his private pilot's license.  
  
Cerd was training for his, "Sure, I could use the practice." Cerd replied.  
  
That next weekend there was a school dance that Cerd and the others attended. He didn't know or at least pretended he didn't know why it bothered him that Kitty seemed to be getting pretty close to Theodore Rettick, a senior at the school but it visibly bothered him so badly that he stomped out of gym and was on his way to the weight room to go box out his anger. Lance, aka Avalanche, noticed it because Cerd was stomping out during a slow song.  
  
Cerd had just removed his shirt and was taping his knuckles to avoid damaging his hands when Lance walked in. "What do you want?" Cerd growled.  
  
"Nothing." said Lance, "And you are in bad mood tonight."  
  
"I don't have moods!" Cerd growled.  
  
"Of course not, you're an unfeeling Xenexian." Lance said.  
  
"That's right." Cerd replied.  
  
"Don't give me that. You don't have to hide it anymore, we're friends.."  
  
"We aren't friends, Avalanche, if I remember correctly you have fought the X-men on numerous occasions." Cerd replied.  
  
"Hey, that's in the past, we're mutants in a world that doesn't accept us that makes us friends." Lance said.  
  
"That proves not one thing Lance." Cerd replied.  
  
"Sure it does, Jeremiah Cerd. We have so much in common, for one we were or are currently in love with the same woman." said Lance.  
  
"Hah! The fact that we have the X-gene is the only thing in common we have." Cerd replied, giving the bag a particularly hard right cross.  
  
"No need to hide it. You're in love with her." Lance said.  
  
"Who?" Cerd replied.  
  
"Kitty." said Lance, "Katherine Tyler Pryde to spell it out. And once more your worried she's fallen in love with Theo."  
  
"That's absolutely ridiculous, there's no way I could be in love with her." Cerd said.  
  
"Cerd, you lie through clenched teeth." Lance replied.  
  
"Lance, will you shut the hell up and leave me alone!" Cerd shouted.  
  
Cerd was walking to his car in the parking lot but Jean and Scott saw him and attempted to catch him. They caught up to him as he was sitting in his car, about to start the engine. "Jeremiah, I know you like her." Scott said.  
  
"And just who are you referring to Scott?" Cerd said.  
  
"Kitty." Scott replied.  
  
"I know it hurts, but you have to move on. She's been crazy about Theo for a while." Scott replied.  
  
"Fuck you!" Cerd said angrily, putting up the windows, turning on the engine and driving off.  
  
Scott had never heard such aggressive language from Cerd directed at him. He was driving along the road back to the Xavier Institute, the song Sad But True blaring loudly over the speakers of his car. He had just gotten up to the line about hate when you want love and that really and truly expressed everything he felt.  
  
He had a score to settle with Rettick. The big football player was sitting where he always sat; he was talking with Kitty at lunchtime. He stood up, excusing himself while Cerd trailed him silently. I don't believe it, you cheating bastard! Cerd thought angrily, Rettick was desperately trying to get a senior girl, dark haired and petite Samantha Grayson to talk to him. If you break Kitty's heart, I'm breaking your neck. Cerd thought angrily, aware that he was smaller and less muscled than Rettick but he was prepared to throw himself into a fight where he had little chance of winning.  
  
Clearly he needed a more subtle method to get him. He knew Rettick always got a Diet Pepsi from the vending machine before football practice so he decided to beat him there, which he did. He emptied a quarter of the bottle and substituted turbo-lax, a fairly powerful laxative into it. He left it near Rettick's bag with a red ribbon tied around it and a message, 'To: Theo, From: Sam, Good Luck.' He also put another one inside his helmet with a much less kind phrase written on it, 'You've been had, you cheating SOB. Jeremiah Cerd.'  
  
He drank it, thinking, Thank you Samantha that was really sweet of you. He went out to take his place on the line as the quarter back and then he said, "Coach, I can I be excused?"  
  
"Sure Rettick, just come back quick." Coach replied.  
  
Rettick ran all the way to the bathroom and barely made it to the toilet. He went out to the field, took another swig of the Pepsi and ran back. Cerd was on the Cross Country team and was practicing with them when he ran by and winked at him. Why the hell is he winking? thought Rettick.  
  
It happened again, and when he ran after another sip, he figured out why. He reached into his helmet, where it felt like a point was piercing his scalp and in it was Cerd's note. He went to go find Cerd, who was cooling off by his car. He held the damning note and bottle in front of Cerd's face, "Is this yours?" he asked, with two of his football buddies behind him.  
  
"I'm not denying it, am I." Cerd replied, nonchalantly, "And if you were truly a man, you would not confront me with two companions."  
  
"Cerd, what the hell was that about?" he asked.  
  
"I thought my reasons were fairly clear or are you so illiterate that you can't read them!" Cerd replied.  
  
"Kick his ass!" said MacDonald, the halfback.  
  
Samuels, the black linebacker, replied, "Wait, Xenexians aren't the most advanced of races, why, if the note is any case, I believe he's challenging you over Kitty."  
  
"Stay out of this, Samuels!" Cerd replied.  
  
"So you like Kitty?" said Rettick.  
  
"Fuck you!" Cerd said.  
  
"Hey, asshole that was an honest question." said MacDonald.  
  
"That's none of your business whether I like her or not, but it is my business that you're apparently going out with her but you cheat on her with that Samantha girl. If you break her heart, I'm going to break your head." Cerd replied, getting into his car, locking the doors and starting it up.  
  
Rettick and his friends stood in front of the car. "You'd best move." Cerd cautioned.  
  
"You're bluffing, Cerd." Samuels said, "You wouldn't ram us."  
  
"Oh really." Cerd replied, "If I have a bow and arrow and wish to express my annoyance, I don't fire a padded shaft, I fire a steel tipped arrow."  
  
Cerd gunned the engine and made a motion to put the car in drive. Samuels, McDonald and Rettick all stepped out of the way. "I thought you'd see it my way." Cerd replied and drove off.  
  
Cerd really had deep feelings for Kitty, ever since the tail end of their freshman year. He never really indicated it to anyone, as far as he was concerned; people could and should mind their own damn business in that department. The next year dawned, Cerd waited for his West Point notice, he failed to get in because he was with the X-gene in his blood. He also failed to get the ROTC scholarship on that basis. He still got into Bayville Aeronautical Institute and Embry Riddle Aeronautical University in Daytona Beach.  
  
Cerd felt ready to kick the crap out of somebody, anybody, who crossed his path. Fran and Flo, the rumor mill queens of Bayville High School really were an annoyance at best but in this case, Cerd was really almost at the edge. "Here comes Jeremiah Cerd again, boy does he look pissed today." said Flo, a redhead with an impatience streak and a somewhat vacuous personality. Not that either girl was non-vacuous.  
  
"Yeah," said Fran, whose voice was a Fran Drescher clone just about, "He's crazy about Kitty Pryde, isn't he?"  
  
"Are you kidding, you haven't heard, Cerd has it bad for Kitty." Flo said.  
  
They enjoyed teasing him about it, much to his annoyance; the school was abuzz with rumors about Cerd's unrequited feelings for Kitty. Some kid in the lunch line, Vinny Bernardo, said two words, trying to tick off Cerd, "Kitty Pryde."  
  
He was expecting Cerd to be angry but he didn't expect Cerd to react with violence. Cerd clocked him square on the jaw, staggering him back. Cerd jumped on him again and started punching away, angrily.  
  
"You don't know who you're messing with! I am the Latino Gangster King!" said Bernardo.  
  
"Bring it on!" Cerd replied, "Show me what you've got, your highness!"  
  
"Show me what YOU'VE got!" said Bernardo.  
  
"You wouldn't want that." Cerd replied coldly and deliberately as though the temperature in the room had dropped a few degrees.  
  
As Cerd walked away, Fran said, "Talk about an anger management problem."  
  
He had his English class with them "What do you suppose has Cerd so pissed?" Fran asked.  
  
"Let's ask him." said Flo.  
  
"Hey Jeremiah," said Fran in a mock friendly manner, "What's your problem."  
  
"None of your business." Cerd growled in reply.  
  
"Sorry." said Flo, "You know, you don't have to be so mean just because she doesn't feel the same way about you."  
  
"I don't know what you're talking about." Cerd replied.  
  
"Of course you know about it. Her name's Kitty Pryde." Flo replied.  
  
Cerd just glared back at her and they both wisely shut up, for once.  
  
The French Club field trip to EPCOT Center, Orlando and Grad Nite, a trip for seniors to Disney World, Orlando were Cerd's last chances. Kurt Wagner and Kitty Pryde were in the French Club with Cerd, since their freshman year. Cerd joined the French Club just for the one-day field trip out of school.  
  
The trio walked into the park and was heading to Spaceship Earth, the giant spheroid towering over the landscape when Cerd, who was an Orlando resident, originally said, "No, it's too crowded at this time of day, let's try later in the day." Cerd replied, sticking his cigarette pack into his pocket, as smoking was not allowed in EPCOT. He only smoked one or two cigarettes a week, and only outside of buildings.  
  
Cerd led them to the Living Seas pavilion instead and they proceeded through it. "So is the sea like this on Rilnar? Or Xenex?" Kitty asked, throwing in an icebreaker.  
  
"No, Xenex's seas are small and the water is full of predators so Xenexians tend to steer clear of water." Cerd replied, "As for Rilnar, the seas are seen as a source of life and we respect the seas as well as use them to harvest fish for food and various types of water Pokemon for those who go on Pokemon journey's."  
  
"What about those not interested in Pokemon." Kurt asked.  
  
"Easy, they go into other types of work on Rilnar or go out into the galaxy to find work." Cerd replied as they walked out into sunlight.  
  
An aircraft flew overhead and they looked up, "What kind of plane is that?" Kitty asked.  
  
"That's a Hurricane fighter aircraft from the Corellian Air Force." Cerd replied, "They're on another pilot recruiting drive because it's peace time and many Corellian pilots are leaving the service or avoiding it altogether."  
  
"There's a new plane in the Corellian Air Force I read about in Popular Science." Kitty added, "It was more streamlined than the Hurricane and just came out this year."  
  
"That's a Spitfire. They're the fastest fighters of the Corellian Air Force. If I flew for them, that's what I'd want to fly." Cerd replied.  
  
"What's the difference between the Hurricane and the Spitfire?" asked Kurt.  
  
"Easy. The Spitfire is an all metal and more streamlined aircraft whereas the Hurricane is more of a traditional aircraft with its ceramic fuselage and treated wood wings." Cerd replied.  
  
Shortly after lunch, which they ate at the French restaurant Chef's de France, where Cerd didn't eat because he got separated from the group by a marching band. He met them back at the restaurant and they went through more stuff until the day's end and their flight back to Bayville.  
  
It was at the airport where Cerd revealed how he felt toward Kitty. They were walking down to the terminal towards the monorail when Cerd mentioned them.  
  
"Jeremiah, I never knew. I had a good hunch but I could never be completely sure about you." Kitty said, "It was really sweet of you, that I've always gotten a candy gram from you every Valentine's Day, but I never knew you actually felt that way about me."  
  
"So what does that mean?" Cerd replied.  
  
"Jeremiah, don't get me wrong, I think you're a real sweet guy and all and any girl that can get you is a lucky one. I'm not really looking for a boyfriend right now, though." Kitty replied.  
  
"Alright." said Cerd, skipping onto the monorail ahead of her.  
  
"Jeremiah, wait! It has nothing to do with you!" she said.  
  
Cerd boarded the plane and they flew back up to Bayville. A few days later they graduated and Jeremiah Cerd made his final decision as to where he was going to college, Embry Riddle Aeronautical University. He was going to make the long road trip from New York to Florida by himself in his old Corvette.  
  
Rogue had said, "So you're leaving, huh?"  
  
"That's right." Cerd replied.  
  
"You know, Cerd, you can't just run away from your problems." said Rogue, "I mean, that's the easy way out."  
  
"You think this is easy for me." Cerd replied, "It isn't, all of you have made some difference or impact on my life."  
  
"You know, Jeremiah," said Kitty, "There are other girls here besides Kitty. And there are fewer familiar faces around here, we could use you."  
  
"Jean Grey's coming back, she's just studying medicine at NYU." Cerd replied, "I may return someday."  
  
He began loading bags into the passenger seat, as the Corvette did not have a trunk. "So you're really leaving?" Kitty said, catching him before he was about to leave.  
  
"It's my only choice." Cerd replied, eyes unreadable behind dark Rayban Aviator sunglasses, "I need to go and sort things out, and Florida seems to be the right place to go do it. I can always transfer up to Bayville and come to visit if I decide to stay in Daytona."  
  
"You could still stay here." Kitty said.  
  
"Tell you what, give me a school year to make that decision to come back." Cerd replied. Kitty watched as the beat up '22 Corvette drove out of the Institute's front gate, possibly for the last time.  
  
Cerd stepped into the car, started up, waving goodbye. The lyrics of Enter Sandman began to play as he began to drive out of Bayville, it would take an hour or two to get to I-95 South depending on traffic and a stack of tapes waited to be played on the Ramblin' Man's dashboard. He had all of his Metallica favorites on that side of the tape. It felt good to be leaving, to be leaving behind almost two years of hurt. It hadn't been all bad; there were friends he had, friends like Kurt Wagner and Evan Daniels, and friends like Kitty Pryde.  
  
He also had the side of the tape that had his favorite songs by Sting and the Police. First came Message in a Bottle. It started playing as he was nearing I-95, he reflected for a moment because that seemed to remind him of his current state of mind. Other songs began playing after that one. I Can't Stand Losin' You was another one that also reflected his state of mind after being rejected by Kitty. At least she let you down nicely you should consider that. Cerd thought, or at least a more rational part of his mind was, C'mon, at least you two can stay friends. That was what Scott had said before Cerd had decided to take the long two day drive from New York to Florida. He caught some traffic before the acceleration lane and so was delayed for approximately fifteen minutes. Every Breath You Take was coming up as the final few verses of An Englishman In New York were playing. Following that was Walking on the Moon; people always said Jeremiah Cerd was a dreamer, so he identified strongly with that song. He was out on I- 95, Bayville beginning to grow smaller and smaller in the distance when Fields of Gold began to play. He began to think of Kitty; because that song expressed everything he had ever felt for her. It was so deeply entwined with memories of her that whenever he heard that song he would instantly think of her.  
  
"Many years have passed since those summer days, among the fields of barley.." Sting's voice sang out over the speakers as the Ramblin' Man cruised out further and further from Bayville. Invisible Sun was after that, reflecting the living hell that being rejected had put him through. It was always a source of hope. From Bayville, 95 would take a couple hours to New Jersey. Spirits in the Material World followed immediately thereafter.  
  
The long drive was one that left Cerd alone with his thoughts and feelings with the music from his tapes playing in the background. After the Spirits in the Material World came King of Pain. At one point, Cerd was feeling like the King of Pain, it was while he was cruising through New Jersey.  
  
"I have stood here before inside the pouring rain, with the world turning circles round and round my brain, I guess I'm always hoping that you'll end this reign, but it's my destiny to be the King of Pain." Sting's voice sang out again. The last song on the tape was A Thousand Years. He popped a cigarette into his mouth, and lit up, the smoke rising slowly into the air, the song's lyrics reminding him of a lot of things at once, it's serene rhythm expressed by the cigarette smoke. He had taken up this habit six months ago but was always courteous about it. He then realized during that interlude that he still loved Kitty, and he was also simultaneously reminded of pain and also of her kindness to him on his arrival, of how good a friend she was before he even thought he had romantic attraction for her. "On and on the mysteries unwind themselves eternities still unsaid, till you love me." Cerd sang along as he tapped out his cigarette and put the butt into the ashtray.  
  
He switched tapes as he entered Delaware and the first song on it was Ramblin' Man, it reminded him of the name of his car and also the license plate he had received two years ago from Kitty. He could loosely be classified as a wandering soul and this long road trip was evidence of it.  
  
He made it to Embry Riddle and spent two years there when he had an unexpected visitor. He made four really good buddies while there and he usually hung out with them.  
  
Kitty Pryde walked through the Embry Riddle campus, wearing the visitor's pass she had been given and she walked into the first floor. A black woman of medium height who spied her visitor's pass greeted her. "Looking for someone in particular?"  
  
"Do you know Jeremiah Cerd?" she asked.  
  
"Of course I know him, he hangs out with the weirdoes mostly." said the woman.  
  
"Do you know where his room is?" Kitty asked.  
  
"Room 215, second floor, three doors to the left of the turbolift." said the woman, "His room mate, Manning, is really out there."  
  
She went to Room 215 and knocked on the door. A tall, lanky kid with tousled brown hair, a long nose, and wearing black robes opened the door. "Greetings, and who might you be?"  
  
"Kitty Pryde." she replied, "I'm looking for Jeremiah Cerd."  
  
"He's not here right now. Would you like to wait for him? He is on a flight; he should be back any minute. Just knock yourself out just don't bother us." Manning replied.  
  
"We are ready, Manning." Affallable said, a short fat kid.  
  
"I'll be there in a moment Acolyte Affallable." Ryan replied, "We have a guest looking for Jeremiah Cerd."  
  
"Well, have fun, and may the powers of Satan be with you." Ryan said, "We have a person to kill."  
  
"Okay." Kitty said, perplexed. The room smelled strongly of candle wax and cigarette smoke.  
  
Ryan took a piece of chalk and drew a star with a circle with it on a portable chalkboard on the table. Affallable brought several candles and lit them. "Let's have that sacrifice Acolyte Hendon." said Manning.  
  
Hendon, another short fat boy from Massachusetts, produced a French fry from his robe.  
  
"What the.? A French Fry!" Manning shouted.  
  
"It's all I could find." Hendon said.  
  
"A cockroach would be a better sacrifice than that pathetic thing." Manning said, "It's not even life form!"  
  
"Potatoes are life forms." said Affallable.  
  
"All right, let's begin." said Manning, "Acolyte Affallable, please give me the Book of the Dead."  
  
The Book of the Dead was nothing more than a tiny notepad carried in Affallable's back pocket. "Here's the incantation oh Bringer of Death to Cartman." Affallable said.  
  
"All mighty, awful and all powerful Satan, we beg you to kill the mortal body of Eric Crayson, aka Cartman. We want him to die. We wish he was dead. Please Satan kill him fast. Make him a thing of the past. We offer you this French fry as a sacrifice. He ruined your servant Ryan's chances with Shasta O'Leary. For that we want him to die. Die. Die. Die. Die. Die. Die. Die. Cartman will you die." they chanted.  
  
Kitty wrote down her hotel phone number and address and said, "Okay, bye."  
  
She walked out to her rental car and thought What weirdoes has Jeremiah run into.  
  
1 She was almost at the car when she bumped into a young woman, carrying several books. "Oh I'm sorry." said Kitty, "Here I'll help."  
  
"Thanks. By the way, I'm Shasta O'Leary." said the woman.  
  
"Do you know Ryan Manning by any chance?" said Kitty.  
  
"Yeah, he's a little weird especially when he's with his friends. Affallable and Hendon are the real immature ones, but Ryan's okay when it's just a one on one chat." Shasta replied.  
  
"Have you seen Jeremiah Cerd anywhere?" Kitty asked.  
  
"He was just at the airfield, he should be here any minute." Shasta replied, "Eric and him switched off for who's flying next."  
  
"Eric Crayson?" said Kitty.  
  
"Yeah, my date for tonight. He's a real sweet guy." Shasta replied, "Ryan asked me out, but Eric asked me first."  
  
"If I see Jeremiah anywhere, who should I say's looking for him?" Shasta asked.  
  
"Kitty Pryde, a friend of his from Bayville." Kitty replied.  
  
She just made it to the parking lot when she saw a familiar blue Corvette coming to a parking space. She waved at the driver and Cerd stepped out of the car and waved back. "Jeremiah, I just wanted to say that we came here to visit you on vacation. Our hotel is the Hilton in Orlando, come visit." Kitty said.  
  
Cerd pulled a cigarette from his pocket but didn't light it. "Still smoking I see." Kitty replied.  
  
"Not as much as I used to." Cerd replied, "It's really Affallable who smokes up the entire room."  
  
"You mean Acolyte Sean Affallable." said Kitty.  
  
Cerd looked blankly and then laughed, "Oh, you mean you witnessed a ritual of Ryan's satanic cult."  
  
"Yes." she said, "Which one's your room mate."  
  
"Ryan." Cerd replied.  
  
"What about this Book of the Dead?" Kitty asked.  
  
"Oh that's easy," Cerd replied, "He's been praying to Satan to kill Cartman so Shasta O'Leary goes out with him. Those are all his prayers for Cartman's gruesome demise."  
  
"Okay." Kitty said, "What about you?"  
  
"No, I don't worship Satan, I just pray to my ancestors' spirits for guidance, not the Supreme Evil One." Cerd replied.  
  
"Are you going to visit us?" Kitty asked.  
  
"I'll think about it." Cerd replied.  
  
"Tonight maybe, at 6:00, for dinner." Kitty asked.  
  
"I'll think about it." Cerd replied, and headed into his dorm.  
  
Inside, "Oh, uh, Cerd, some chick left her phone number here, said she wanted to talk to you." Affallable said.  
  
"Thanks, what's with the robes?" said Cerd.  
  
"The Bringer of Death to Cartman is holding a séance." Affallable said.  
  
"Okay," said Cerd, "Do you mind if I."  
  
He snatched the Book of the Dead, a beat up spiral notebook, "Blasphemer! Do you dare insult the Bringer of Death to Cartman?" said Affallable.  
  
"You mean Bringer of Flies, Ants, and Roaches to my dorm room, yes. It's my God damn room too!" said Cerd.  
  
"Do not speak so lightly of the Master's séance." Affallable said.  
  
"Die Cartman die. Die Cartman die. Die Cartman die." Hendon chanted at the kitchen chair, rocking lightly back and forth.  
  
Cerd went up to them and lit a cigarette on one of the candles. "Do not desecrate the Sacred Candles of Satan with your foul smoke." Manning said.  
  
"Styxx, for crying out loud, Affallable lights up on that thing all the time." Cerd replied, mildly amused.  
  
"Why don't you go outside for tonight?" said Manning, "Satan's power will need to pass through this room to it's conduit and we don't want a sarcastic Rilnari in here."  
  
"I'm only half Rilnari you dummy." Cerd replied.  
  
"Oh whatever." Manning replied.  
  
"Fine." Cerd said, he changed, walked outside to his car and made the drive to Orlando to visit his friends.  
  
At the Hilton, "Do you think he's coming?" Kitty asked.  
  
"We'll know soon enough." said Jean Grey.  
  
Dinner was relatively uneventful, as were other visits by his friends, save for an event that hardened Cerd's resolve to get the hell away from Bayville. It was his senior year and he was visiting Bayville on a lark. Despite all the years, he still had feelings for Kitty. He intended to tell her how exactly he felt.  
  
"Jeremiah, a lot's been going on in my life here in Bayville, I think it's best that we each have our own breathing room." Kitty said.  
  
"Oh." Jeremiah replied, doing his best to conceal his hurt. He went back to Embry Riddle and finished out his senior year. He saw Kitty and the others, as well as his family in the audience and Cerd had hardened his resolve further to get out of here even if it meant going to the ends of the Earth. Or beyond.  
  
It was just that sense of rejection and hurt that caused Jeremiah Cerd to leave again. A smart looking man in the blue dress uniform of the Corellian Air Force walked alongside him. "Excuse me, young man."  
  
"Yes sir." Cerd replied.  
  
"Flight Lieutenant Wedge Antilles, Corellian Air Force."  
  
"Jeremiah Cerd."  
  
"Do you know what you're going to do with your life?" said Wedge.  
  
"I'm not sure sir. Maybe work for an airline. I did once have a dream of going into the Army Air Corps, but I wasn't qualified." Cerd replied.  
  
"Well, what was that flaw that you possessed." said Wedge.  
  
"Sir, I'm not sure if Corellia has prejudices toward.." Cerd replied.  
  
"As long as you have vision that can be corrected by surgery, no severe medical problems, and no criminal record, you're qualified." Wedge replied.  
  
"What do I do now that I'm interested?" said Cerd.  
  
"Take the entrance exam in the Auditorium tomorrow morning for OCS." said Wedge, "I'll see you there."  
  
As Cerd looked at the list of entering cadets, after the examination was finished, he was pleased to note that his was among them. He walked off the bus to the terminal where all cadets were to disembark for their transport to the Corellian Air Force Officer's Candidate School on its southern continent.  
  
OCS was a set of buildings located near the coastline of the southern continent. "I'm Bror Jace, your room mate." said a grinning young man, "I'm from Thyferra."  
  
"Jeremiah Cerd, Earth." Cerd replied.  
  
The Corellian Air Force was and always will be a surprisingly interstellar cast of airmen. Presently Cerd finished OCS and as a newly commissioned Pilot Officer he reported to flight training flying Tiger Moth trainers on the nearby CAF training area. The difference between cadets there and those at OCS is that flight trainees had more privileges than their OCS counterparts. Flight training was a breeze for him, having had four years of it at Embry Riddle and two back in Bayville, and he was sent to the CAF pilot replacement depot. It was then he learned that he was to begin qualifying in the Hawksflight Hurricane as opposed to the Rendilli Stardrive's Spitfire he was interested in flying. Reasoning that one aircraft was as good as another, he did not complain.  
  
Cerd later was assigned to No. 188 Squadron, which was being posted at Alderaan as the interstellar situation began to rapidly deteriorate. No.188 was equipped with the Hurricane Mk I, the first of the breed, armed with eight wing mounted blaster cannons.  
  
Before No. 188 was shipping across the section of space between Corellia and Alderaan called the Channel, Cerd met Lieutenant Han Solo, Corellian Navy. It began at the supply depot where Cerd was requisitioning a can of azure blue paint. He walked out to the tarmac to show his Flight Sergeant, the enlisted man assigned to the maintenance of his aircraft, the design. "Sergeant you're off duty now, take a break."  
  
"Sir?" said the sergeant; standing behind Cerd was a man in a black uniform with gold wings on the breast pocket.  
  
Cerd saluted, "Pilot Officer Jeremiah Cerd, sir."  
  
"Lieutenant Han Solo." Solo replied, returning the salute, "Look kid, I've heard of you through the grape vine at OCS. Graduated near the top of the class, 17th out of sixty-two cadets, had some problems with anger management."  
  
Cerd took the paintbrush and began to make the first few strokes to the nose of his Hurricane, PZ 412 with the three-letter identification code of KIT. He began to paint the design he had in his mind's eye.  
  
"Can I help you with that?" said Solo.  
  
"I'll manage, sir." Cerd replied.  
  
"You're obviously having problems with it so I'll help." Solo replied.  
  
"Thank you, sir." Cerd replied as Solo removed his jacket to help him work. They painted the name Kitty on the nose cowling.  
  
"Who's Kitty?" said Han.  
  
"Someone back home." Cerd replied.  
  
"From Earth?" said Han.  
  
"Yes sir." Cerd replied.  
  
"Stop with this sir business for now, Cerd, just call me Han." Solo replied.  
  
"Yes sir - I mean Han." Cerd replied.  
  
"Who's Kitty?" said Solo.  
  
"She was someone special back home." Cerd replied, hiding a good deal of hurt.  
  
"As a superior officer I deserve more than that Cerd." Solo replied, "You beat the holy hell out of Pilot Officer Rettick in the Officer's Club over someone named Pryde, is this the same woman?"  
  
"Yes sir." Cerd replied, "Her name was Kitty Pryde, he and I were rivals over the same girl back in high school."  
  
"I'm a good friend of Rettick's and it's a good thing his promotion to Flying Officer hasn't gone through or you'd be facing a court martial right now." Solo replied, "And he also said that he was not romantically involved with Kitty Pryde at any time so you had no reason to be angry with him."  
  
"So a few blows were exchanged sir and." Cerd replied.  
  
"A solid punch to the mouth and you being thrown into the bar is hardly a few blows." Solo replied, "Look Cerd, there's a lot of potential in you, I see a potential Squadron Leader or Group Captain when I look at your OCS record."  
  
"Sorry to disappoint you, sir." Cerd replied, "But I didn't join up for a career I joined up to get the hell away from all the hell I was enduring."  
  
"Cerd, whatever your personal problems are, they are no consequence to me but I'm warning you to avoid hostile action." Solo replied, putting his black jacket back on and straightening his black tie, "Do we understand each other, Pilot Officer Cerd?"  
  
"Yes sir." Cerd replied.  
  
"Good, I'd hate to send you to your C/O, Squadron Leader Benarin." said Solo, "But if I witness any sort of altercation between you and Rettick I will not hesitate to do so."  
  
"Understood sir." Cerd replied.  
  
It was the next day that Cerd and the rest of No.188 Squadron flew across the Channel at the Alderaanian base at the spaceport Aldera. The fourteen Hurricanes landed and for the first two weeks there was no action aside from the occasional border skirmish with Mangalore fighters. The Mangalores were more concerned with their invasion of Boduria then any tactical gains on Alderaan.  
  
Suddenly on May 2140, things changed as the Mangalores launched a full out invasion of Alderaan. Jeremiah Cerd's first serious taste of action was on May 6, 2140 flying out over a section of the Aldera patrol zone. The Hurricanes were escorting a slow flying flight of Blenheim bombers over the landing zone, they were looking for some action. Squadron Leader Benarin had scored the squadron's first victory, a Mandal Tech Mt 106, and the other pilots of No. 188 were looking for some action.  
  
The enemy discovered them first; a squadron of Mt 106s attacked the Blenheims out of the sun. The Hurricanes turned to meet their enemies as defensive fire from the Blenheims began to stream outward. Cerd found himself behind a 106 attacking a Blenheim bomber. His thumb jammed down on the firing button and the Hurricane's eight blaster cannons roared, setting the 106 ablaze and the enemy fighter spun out of control.  
  
He was attacked just a few seconds later by another 106 and he found himself spinning through a mass of whirling fighters, his pursuer directly behind him. He felt several plasma blasts smack against the Hurricane's fuselage when the enemy fighter spun away, with smoke trailing, breaking from the fight as another Hurricane dived behind it. Cerd made a mental note to look behind him in the future.  
  
As he made it back to base, he heard that the Alderaanians and the Corellian Commonwealth forces supporting them were fighting a desperate withdrawal action on all fronts and that an evacuation was very likely going to be ordered. Many pilots disliked Alderaanian fuel for their fighters because the mixture was too lean for their Soro Suub Pulsar engines.  
  
He saw his first Mangalore bomber on May 15th, a twin engine Jeerkas 88, a straggler from a bombing sortie near Aldera. He chased after the 88, guns blazing. The Mangalore pilot attempted to escape by diving away from the fight with the Hurricane in hot pursuit. Firing repeated bursts from the Hurricane's guns sent the 88 crashing downward into the sandstone bluffs below.  
  
He had just reached base when the decision was made for No. 188 to cover the evacuation convoys from Selon Airfield on Corellia. Cerd refilled his fighter with Alderaanian fuel and when he landed on Selon, he refilled his Corvette with the Alderaanian fuel, and there was no point in wasting it. Two weeks later Alderaan fell to the Mangalores.  
  
The Battle of Corellia was about to begin as Mangalore bombers were starting to make forays into the Channel. Corellia, with its excellent radar defense grid, could alert CAF pilots about incoming Mangalore raids. Typically the slower Hurricanes were assigned to attack the bombers while the faster Spitfires handle the fighter escorts.  
  
Such neat divisions of responsibility were all but impossible as evidenced by an air battle Cerd was involved in on June 15, 2140. He already had shot down a Jeerkas 87 dive-bomber over Selon Airfield and he was about to attack another formation of Js 87s over a Corellian radar station, one of hundreds spread out over every area on Corellia, escorted by a formation of Mt 106 and 116 fighters. He shot down a 116 and fighting his way through the escorts managed to score hits on at least three of the dive bombers before his guns jammed and he had to make evasive maneuvers back to the base.  
  
June was a month of limited, but bitter air battles. Mangalore aircraft smash the ports, attack coastal targets and batter the CAF in dogfights. The Officer's Club of Selon Airfield, also called the Ten Forward, was one place Cerd could be found when his squadron was no longer on alert, which was usually after dark, sitting over a drink or smoking a cigarette. He rarely, if ever, spoke to anyone. Guinan, the Officer's Club's bartender, was an El-Aurian female noticed the solitary figure in battle dress always sitting by himself, his life support gear beside him. One day she decided to go and talk to him.  
  
Jeremiah Cerd had heard the song Fields of Gold and in a rush of heartbeats he could see her. As the notes of the song played he could see her azure blue eyes, her chestnut brown hair, and her lovely smile, her slender figure all combined to form the image of Kitty Pryde in his mind's eye.  
  
He suffered another double whammy as he heard In the Still of the Night playing over the jukebox. Several couples were threading across the dance floor as Cerd sat alone, watching but never joining. He sat alone because he felt that way.  
  
"Can I get you anything, sir?" said Guinan, the ebony skinned bartender.  
  
"No thanks." Cerd replied.  
  
"There are several junior hostesses around if you want to pick up a partner." Guinan replied.  
  
"I don't dance." Cerd replied.  
  
"Of course you do. You want to join in the fun. You just sit there torturing yourself about something, what is it?" Guinan said, "Woman trouble?"  
  
Cerd fixed her with a surprised glance, "El-Aurians while we resemble humans, are very long-lived, we are said to be the galaxy's best listeners so I can listen to your problems. Also, Lieutenant Solo happens to be a very good friend of mine."  
  
"I left Earth because of her." Cerd replied, "I never really belonged anywhere, to tell you the honest truth, I was too Xenexian for one side of my heritage and too Rilnari for the other side." Cerd replied, "Every time I felt I got what I wanted, a sense of what others experience, knowledge of what it feels like to be part of a whole, Kitty realizing how I feel about her, it always comes at a tragically high price, leaving me more lonely and isolated than before."  
  
"Cerd, I'm always here to listen but all you can do is try to revive the friendship and forget about the romance angle." Guinan replied after Cerd finished his story.  
  
A steward walked towards them, "Excuse me, Pilot Officer Cerd?" said the man.  
  
"Yes." Cerd replied.  
  
"A letter for you."  
  
"Thank you." Cerd replied to the steward. He took it and it was addressed to him from Kitty.  
  
Cerd went and started reading it -  
  
  
  
June 15, 2140  
  
Dear Jeremiah,  
  
How's Corellia? I've been watching the news, as have the rest of us. We've heard about how the Corellian Air Force was forced to retreat from Alderaan and we looked through casualty reports to see if you were all right.  
  
We're glad to see you're okay. We heard that the fighting around Corellia has gotten fiercer. Take care of yourself.  
  
Love,  
  
Kitty  
  
Cerd smiled, a real smile, and stuck the letter into the jacket of his battle dress uniform and walked back to the barracks for a nap. The next morning, at dispersal, where CAF pilots were waiting on alert since daybreak, Cerd read the letter, happy to hear from Kitty. He had started composing a reply when the scramble alarm sounded. Cerd ran to his Hurricane, jumping into the cockpit and jumped into the cockpit. That day, on the 21st of June, he was to score two victories in one day. A Halkon 111 first to fall on that interception run, followed a Js 88 later in the day while he was on patrol at the Channel.  
  
Js 88s on the airfield wounded Cerd that night during a night raid. Diving into a slit trench, a running Flight Sergeant jumped into the trench, breaking his right leg in landing atop him. He spent the rest of the month in the hospital.  
  
July 21, 2140  
  
Dear Kitty,  
  
You won't believe this, but I'm writing from the hospital. I was inside a slit trench during a bombing raid and a Flight Sergeant who was trying to get to safety jumped in and landed on me; I'm in the hospital until July 1st.  
  
Other than that, Corellia's just fine I just enclosed a picture of me and four of the lads. From left to right they are, Squadron Leader Benarin, Pilot Officer Bror Jace, Pilot Officer Kel Perrin, Flight Lieutenant Straves, and yours truly.  
  
Love,  
  
Jeremiah  
  
The bombers began to focus their attacks on the capital city of Corellia shortly after Cerd's hospitalization, bombing it almost daily. One of the biggest air battles of the Battle of Corellia was about to begin. It was July 1, 2140, when the Mangalores launch an all out air raid. Throughout the Battle, Air Marshall Lamijan Janos had been holding his Spitfires and Hurricanes in reserve, sending them up in groups of twelve to sixteen at a time as opposed to sending every available fighter against every available raid. This strategy was about to pay off.  
  
Poor intelligence told the Mangalores that the Corellian Air Force barely existed. They couldn't have been more wrong as Spitfires and Hurricanes knifed into formations, their guns hammering. Cerd shot up an Mt 106 that day and also a Dorpamir Dp 17 during that day. At the end of the Battle, Jeremiah Cerd was promoted from Pilot Officer to Flying Officer and was presented with a Distinguished Service Medal by Prime Minister Flirry Vorru himself. Vorru said of the Battle's fighter pilots that, "Never in the history of human conflict was so much owed by so many to so few."  
  
Cerd found his niche temporarily but then it was decided to make No. 188 an all Rilnari Squadron and Cerd was transferred. His new squadron placed a great deal more emphasis on the rules than 188 so he asked for a transfer in August 2140.  
  
During that desperate battle, Scott Summers had entered the Corellian Air Force as a newly commissioned Pilot Officer. Cerd first learned of this when he was being transferred to the Quelli Sector, mostly desert planets such as Tatooine and Xenex. Scott did run into Cerd at the Selon Airfield Officer's Club. He saw a familiar man garbed in the blue service uniform of the CAF, except he looked a little more untidy than his Squadron mate, his cap was worn at an angle on his head and his tie was wrapped around his left hand. "Thank my ancestor's spirits, I'm leaving this damned messed up No. 27 Squadron."  
  
"Cerd." Scott said.  
  
He turned, seeing a familiar face. Unlike Cerd, the new pilot officer's service uniform was in perfect shape, he was wearing his cap straight on his head, and his tie was on. "Scott, what the hell are you doing here?"  
  
Scott was close enough to see his old friend had been promoted. He stood and saluted. "Oh forget that saluting junk right now." Cerd replied, "I'm just glad to have escaped No. 27 Squadron."  
  
"Where are you going then?" Scott asked as Cerd took a seat.  
  
"No. 15 Squadron, operating out of Sidi Barrani, Tatooine." Cerd replied, "What are you flying, anyways?"  
  
"Spitfires, with No. 48 Squadron out of Selon. You're being sent into the Desert Air Force?" Scott asked.  
  
"Yeah." Cerd replied, "Sure beats No. 27 hands down. May I ask what the hell you're doing here? It was Professor Xavier's idea, wasn't it? Don't make me pull rank."  
  
"Let's just say it was Jean's idea that I come into the service and look for you. We saw you and your aircraft on the news a month ago, and Jean got this idea that I join up to keep an eye on you." said Scott.  
  
"Listen, Pilot Officer, I've held my own for almost a year now against the Mangalore air arm. I'm the experienced pilot around here, I don't need a damned body guard." Cerd replied.  
  
"Yes sir." Scott replied, "You know Cerd, you can't always run from your problems."  
  
A few days later, Jeremiah Cerd found himself strapped in to the vibrating cockpit of a brand new Hurricane Mk IIa aboard the Corellian aircraft carrier the HMS Pinafore about to launch off toward the desert war on Tatooine against the Kreel. He had painted the same device on the engine cowling, as was on his old fighter, Kitty. HC 535, identification code RHF, was the second Hurricane to bear the name Kitty on it's engine cowling with that same azure blue paint.  
  
The Kreel were first a wandering band of scavengers, formerly part of a great empire centuries past. Budian, their new leader via a military coup, had promised to restore the Kreel Confederation to its past glories and his first target was the Quelli Sector. Vorru saw an opportunity to open another front, if he humiliated the Kreel badly enough he could force the Mangalores to come to their rescue by sending troops, aircraft, and vehicles.  
  
To Cerd, that was of little consequence as he taxied onto the runway of the airfield near Sidi Barrani, where No. 15 was based on September 15, 2140. The next day, Cerd shot down a Fiar G.60 fighter while providing escort to a squadron of Blenheim bombers. A BR 40 followed this on the 19th and on September 28th he was involved in fierce half hour battle over Sidi Barrani itself as the Kreel launched a desperate attempt to support their ground forces making a drive in an attempt to knock out the Sidi Barrani airfield.  
  
The Hurricane pilots sighted and attacked a formation of Breda 65 light bombers and Fiar CR 28 and G. 60s. Cerd knocked down a Breda 65 with his eight guns when a G.60 fighter attacked him. Cerd threw his Hurricane into a tight turn, firing towards the G.60, stitching a line of holes along it's fuselage. He had no time to if it crashed or not, the sky was still full of twisting aircraft. Cerd knocked down a CR 28 and the remaining enemy aircraft jettisoned their bombs and fled the scene as the Hurricanes set in a pursuit course.  
  
Cerd landed at Sidi Barrani thinking, What in the hell did Scott mean by running from my problems, I'm not running away. Cerd replied, The fact that I'm fighting and not cowering somewhere is evidence that I'm not running.  
  
The officer's club's décor here wasn't as cleanly elegant as the one back at Selon. This was more rough-hewn, it's architecture reminiscent of a North African desert cantina and so the officer's club here was wisely known as the Oasis, it was more to his taste than the gaudy Ten Forward at Selon. The bartender was a middle aged, battle scarred human named Kovarian, he was a survivor of the First Interstellar War and the horrific trench warfare associated with that period.  
  
The native Tatooine girls were both tough and friendly, a delicate combination and they were just outside the Sidi Barrani base gates. Inside the gates were quite a few service girls, especially the nurses at the Air Force hospital.  
  
Flying Officer J.J. Sedgwick, an Australian national who had joined the CAF, was one of Cerd's best friends there. "Ready for a friendly game of billiard mate?" said the man. He was a nearly six-foot fellow where Cerd stood at a five foot nine height, with an obvious accent and a tough guy attitude.  
  
Cerd stuck the cigarette into his mouth and said, "Absolutely."  
  
"Betcha a dozen cigarettes I win this one, mate." Sedgwick said.  
  
"Agreed." Cerd replied. He lost the bet but gained a friend.  
  
Cerd was still in the Quelli Theater in November when he received an unexpected visit from his friends at the Xavier Institute, who had arrived on Tatooine with their own personal light freighter, a Corellian Pulsar, a streamline and fast spacecraft. They managed to get into the base because Scott was with them, on a week long leave of absence.  
  
"So, tell me about Kitty?" Sedgwick said.  
  
"There's nothing much to tell, Sedgwick, I fell in love with her, left Bayville and then Earth because I was hurt by rejection." Cerd replied, this openness was obviously due to the fact that he had a few.  
  
"That's rough, mate, that's rough." Sedgwick replied, he was a twenty-five year old from Darwin, Australia and had been flying with Air France to and from New York and Paris, "They do that to you, you'll live."  
  
Sedgwick was apparently having a few himself. He took a swallow of bourbon from his shot glass and saw Pilot Officer Rambold, another Earth pilot in the CAF, from Canada pick up his coat.  
  
"What are you doing with my coat mate?" Sedgwick asked.  
  
"What are you talking about, it's mine!" said Rambold.  
  
"Are you out of it you damn bloody Canadian!" said Sedgwick.  
  
"What it's my coat you illiterate Aussie son of a.." said Rambold when Sedgwick's fist landed on his face.  
  
Flight Sergeant Ramata, no nonsense Corellian, the head of base security saw the altercation. "Gentlemen, stop this nonsense at once!"  
  
Logan pulled the two apart.  
  
"It's alright, we're just having a friendly little argument." Sedgwick replied.  
  
"C'mon Sedge, I'll get you back to the barracks." Cerd replied, leading his intoxicated friend to his room, taking Sedgwick's coat, which the Canadian had mistakenly grabbed.  
  
His friends followed. "How are you, kid?" said Logan.  
  
"Just fine, Mr. Logan." Cerd replied. He was suddenly aware of how scraggly he must have looked. He had a six-day beard growth, he was in his off duty fatigues with just his rank tab on the khaki collared shirt, a pair of khaki shorts, and soft soled shoes. The others had just arrived. He opened the door to his own room and apologized for his scraggly appearance.  
  
"No need," said Jean, "We know it's difficult to be spic and span in the desert."  
  
"Who was that guy who got into that fight?" Kurt asked.  
  
"Oh, Sedgwick, he may act a tad crazy, but he's actually a decent fellow." Cerd replied.  
  
"Really?" said Kitty.  
  
"Really," Cerd replied, "He's actually an aspiring romance writer, but don't tell anyone I said so."  
  
"Your secret's safe with us." Kitty replied.  
  
That visit, though brief, was actually a pleasant one. It was better for Cerd's morale. He took them out to the airstrip on their last day to see his Hurricane. Kitty smiled, actually blushing slightly when she learned that Cerd named his Hurricane after her.  
  
October 10th, 2140 was when Cerd scored another kill, a Fiar G. 60 near El Gobi. The Hurricane and Curtis P-60 Kittyhawk fighters were ripping a swath through the technologically inferior Kreel Air Arm. Even the elderly Gladiator fighters were scoring kill after kill. It was only a matter of time before the Mangalores were going to get involved in the battle to save Budian's face.  
  
The rains arrived later in the month and did not let up until February 2141, curtailing air activity on both sides. This gave Cerd a lot of time to think. No matter where I go I always see something that reminds me of Kitty. Cerd thought as he sat in his room, another lit cigarette between his lips.  
  
He scored two kills in a single day during operations in early February 2141, shooting down a CR. 28 and an SM 89. On February 17, 2141 the Mangalores jumped into the fray and Corellian Air Force and Xenexian Air Force fliers began to encounter the formidable Mandal Tech 106 in increasing numbers. The Mangalores began to launch an offensive that pushed the Commonwealth forces back towards Mos Eisley.  
  
General Carlist Rieekan drew the so-called line in the sand and said that the Commonwealth would fight an organized retreat towards Mos Eisley where the Corellian 15th Army was held in reserve for the massive counter battle. The Battle of Mos Eisley was the turning point in Quelli. Throughout the sector bases began to fall to Mangalores. The Hurricanes and P-60s were taking grievous losses while fighting a fearsome battle.  
  
This was not without cost to the Mangalores, fuel, equipment, food and supplies were starting to become more and more scarce and as the Commonwealth fell back towards their fallback bases near Mos Eisley. Sidi Barrani itself was getting to be closer to the front lines.  
  
During that withdrawal period, Cerd shot down five more enemy aircraft. An Mt 116 and a Js 87 he had shot down on March 1st. Two days later, he downed a Js 88 and a Hs 133 observation aircraft. On April 2nd Jeremiah Cerd came very close to losing his life. It began when his aircraft, HC 535, RHF, called the Kitty, was down for maintenance. Undeterred he jumped into another Hurricane who's pilot had come down with illness.  
  
An Mt 106 squadron ambushed his squadron and his aircraft had been damaged. He barely made it out of the fight when he heard frantic reports of Js 88s attacking frontline positions. He had shot one of the Js 88s, but the rear gunner had scored several solid hits, bringing the Hurricane down over the no-man's land.  
  
The sun beat down mercilessly on the downed aviator and he had only one canteen of water for a twenty-mile walk to Commonwealth lines and to make matters worse he had to avoid not only Mangalore and Kreel patrols but also Tusken Raiders, savage desert nomads that killed straggling troops, wounded not picked up in time, and downed aviators.  
  
Cerd took his position from the sun and walked toward Corellian lines. Two days of travel had passed through the blowing sand. Cerd improvised a head cover by using his undershirt as a turban and a pair of Rayban sunglasses to protect his eyes from the sun and burning sand. Water was his greatest concern, his canteen was starting to run dry and he had only less than a day's worth of supplies and coradfin stimulant pills, supposedly designed to improve one's energy in the desert.  
  
Meanwhile on the home front, at the Xavier Institute, Kitty Pryde looked through the newspaper and paled. Listed as missing in action and possibly killed was Jeremiah Cerd. Kitty broke down and sobbed as Jean Grey put a comforting arm around her. It was all she could do.  
  
Cerd however was very much alive. His water had run out, however, and he was well aware he had to find a new source of water because the inexorable sun beat down without mercy upon him. He reasoned if he couldn't find water, he could at least find shelter. He found it in a wrecked Mangalore truck. He found a half canteen of water and scrounged it from the wreckage and continued on.  
  
Hours passed as the sun beat down savagely on him. A half demolished sandcrawler was sitting unclaimed on the desert dunes, a dozen dead Jawas lay beside it. He didn't find any water that was drinkable by human standards. Corellian lines were at least a dozen miles away and Cerd traveled across the burning sands. He was forced to make camp in a wadi when a nearby Mangalore patrol was spotted. That lost him almost a full day and his water was all gone. He had to walk again, sneaking past the encamped Mangalore unit. He searched for smoke or carrion birds, tell tale signs of a wrecked vehicle or aircraft that might harbor valuable supplies. He didn't find any water on a destroyed Kreel G.60 fighter but he did find shelter and sleep. There was dew on the metal. He quickly put two and two together and used a cloth to soak up the water and wring it into his canteen. He had almost a half canteen when a Kreel patrol was sighted via a cloud of sand. He hid behind a dune as the Kreel rescue unit searched for their downed comrade. They found the dead Kreel pilot seven miles away from Cerd's position, towards their lines. He had succumbed to the desert where Cerd lived.  
  
He saw as he passed over a dune that he was only four miles from Corellian lines. He took a big risk and swallowed two coradfin pills with the remainder of his water. He reached Corellian lines in sight of a Corellian rescue unit and collapsed. He was taken to a hospital on Mos Eisley. Until then Cerd had been listed as missing and possibly dead.  
  
Cerd was kept in the hospital until November 14, 2141 where he rejoined No. 15 Squadron during the battle of Tobruk. In seven months, the Desert Air Force began to receive more aircraft and more supplies via their base on Xenex where the Mangalore supply lines began to be stretched further and further by their rapid advance. The Xenexian 15th Infantry Brigade and the Rilnari 12th Regiment found themselves in a static defense position around Tobruk. During this the Desert Air Force flew hundreds of sorties in support of the two columns. Tobruk was saved and the Corellians began to advance.  
  
During this time period, Cerd scored two more kills, a BR 40 bomber and also and MC 300 fighter. His score now stood at twenty enemy aircraft destroyed. In December the first Spitfires arrived in the Quelli Sector and mastery of the air was a real possibility because the Spitfires gave the Desert Air Force an aircraft that could challenge the superior Mt 106 and MC 303 fighters that equipped the Mangalore and Kreel forces in Quelli. It was decided that the Hurricanes were given a new lease on life as ground attack aircraft. Simply adding a bomb hard point and rearming the aircraft with four plasma cannons or two rail guns was all that was required.  
  
"Listen lads," said Squadron Leader Salm, "It may make the movies and may make recruiting posters when you shoot down enemy aircraft. Our job is equally important, stay on the radio and watch the deck because our lads on the ground are taking heavy armored assault. That's where we come in, we're providing air support, together with the P-60 squadrons, leave it to the Spitfire boys to do the glamour stuff, we do the important thing."  
  
And that was precisely what they did, dropping bombs and strafing enemy vehicles, artillery positions, and other targets of opportunity. The rail guns that some Hurricanes carried were excellent anti-armor weapons. However, Cerd's unit was equipped with the plasma cannon armed variant.  
  
The Earth Alliance entered the war on December 7, 2141 after the attack on Luna base by Tropican forces. The Earth Alliance was preparing their attack on the Mangalore occupied Quelli Sector on May 2142.  
  
February 14, 2142  
  
Dear Kitty,  
  
We Hurricane pilots are now switched to ground attack and close air support. Not that I mind, I'm grateful just to be able to fly again after months of being grounded by complications from my little ordeal in the no- man's land. Wrecked vehicles from both sides litter the landscape, the smoke actually reeks into the cockpits of our aircraft. I'm glad you and the others a nowhere near the bitter desert war which we are now engaged. Scott's unit is based here now at Sidi Barrani.  
  
Is it true what I hear that Jean and Scott are engaged? Finally, I was wondering when he'd pop the question.  
  
Love,  
  
Jeremiah  
  
Kitty wrote him back and her letter read -  
  
February 25, 2142  
  
Dear Jeremiah,  
  
Scott and Jean have been engaged for over a month, where have you been? Oh, out in the desert, I forgot. He popped the question to her when he was on a brief leave of absence on Bayville. It was so funny because he was sweating bullets when he took us all out for dinner with all that accumulated back pay he had. He took the ring from his pocket, dropped it because he was so nervous and said, "Jean will you marry me?"  
  
She kept him hanging and said, "Scott Summers, did I just hear you propose?"  
  
"Yes." he said. She replied yes she would and Scott was the one who fainted.  
  
Love,  
  
Kitty  
  
P.S. He's planning the wedding at the end of your tour of duty. You're invited too.  
  
The major turning point was in October of 2142 the battle of Mos Eisley began with a massive artillery bombardment by Mangalore and Kreel artillery. As the dust settled the Mangalore and Kreel units attacked. Corellian fighter-bombers dive into the fray with bombs, rail guns, and plasma cannons. The P-60's standard armaments were two laser cannons in the nose cowling and four wing mounted blaster cannons and that configuration did not change, unlike with the Hurricane who's armaments did change.  
  
Before taking off to do battle, Cerd walked with Scott to the tarmac, "So you finally popped the question, eh?"  
  
"Yeah," said Scott, showing his engagement ring.  
  
"Must you always follow every rule?" Cerd asked Scott was in full service blue, his uniform impeccable, and his life support gear buckled over it. Cerd was a direct contrast; his brown battle dress uniform was somewhat wrinkled and his blue garrison cap was worn at an angle on his head.  
  
"It worked at the Institute," said Scott, "you do look kind of scraggly you know. It gives you that battle hardened visage."  
  
"Right, and how long have you had that Flying Officer's rank?" Cerd asked.  
  
"Since November." Scott added.  
  
Mos Eisley was a victory for the Corellians and both Scott Summers and Jeremiah Cerd were among the Allied pilots rotated home to train new filers. They found themselves aboard the USS Benghazi, an aircraft carrier. He saw another aviator, Major Zander Barcalow, Earth Alliance Army Air Corps, with the 29th Fighter Squadron flying P-59 Airacobras, a fighter that was inferior to the Mt 106 and MC 303 that it faced, yet he was an ace with fourteen kills to his credit. The son of a wealthy Argentinean businessman, Zander was Kitty's boyfriend.  
  
Cerd's promotion to Flight Lieutenant was in the works so Zander still technically outranked him. Dark haired, fairly well muscled, a Latin charmer every inch of the way, Barcalow was talking to another Earth Alliance flier about Kitty but it was different from what he let her hear. "For someone that's supposedly special or something, she is so dumb. She knows I have a girl in Buenos Aires, in Cleveland, in Texas."  
  
"What's her name?" said the other.  
  
"Kitty Pryde." Zander replied, seeing Cerd was in earshot.  
  
"Got anything more to say about cheating?" Cerd replied, in a challenging tone.  
  
"I think you heard me." Zander replied.  
  
"You should know that she's a good girl, don't do this to her." Cerd replied.  
  
"What's it to you? Wanna make something of it, Flying Officer?" Zander replied.  
  
"No sir, not with a superior officer." Cerd replied, "As to the first question, she's a good friend of mine."  
  
"She appears to be something more to you. She told me once that you had feelings for her." said Zander.  
  
"It doesn't matter, sir, my past feelings. But what matters to me are her feelings." Cerd replied.  
  
"I'm aware that Rilnari are peaceful but that Xenexians are more warlike, how can you stand living like this, half breed." Zander replied.  
  
"How can you sleep, knowing the hurt and heartbreak you're causing?" Cerd replied.  
  
"As I said before, wanna make something of it?" Barcalow replied.  
  
"As I replied, sir, no. Not with an officer that outranks me." Cerd replied.  
  
"Well, let's disregard rank." said the officer.  
  
One of Zander's friends, First Lieutenant Carmen Ibanez, Earth Alliance Army Air Corps, said, "Zander, don't do this."  
  
"What's he gonna do?" Zander said and turned to see Jeremiah's fist crashing into his face.  
  
Cerd attacked repeatedly with two strikes to the mouth with the heel of his palm. Zander grabbed his arm on his third blow and grabbed him around the waist, throwing Cerd to the ground. Cerd swung his leg in an arc, knocking Zander off his feet. He dived on top of Zander and grabbed his throat, squeezing hard.  
  
"You cheating SOB! She isn't going to love you as dying sack of cells is she?" Cerd said, angry not only for himself but for Kitty who was probably suffering from the hurt.  
  
Zander struck Cerd in a muscle and nerve cluster that caused Cerd's hands to unflex, he sent a vicious knee kick to the groin, and Cerd toppled off him. Cerd gave him a punch to the jaw, loosening a few teeth.  
  
"Break it up! Break it up!" Han Solo shouted, "Next one who throws a punch will have to answer to me! Now I want to know, who started this?"  
  
"I did." said Zander.  
  
"And I." Cerd replied.  
  
"You again." Han said, "Come with me. Zander, you and Cerd are confined to quarters for the duration of this voyage."  
  
When Zander was out of earshot, Han said, after Cerd explained himself, "Hey, that's low, but I should tell you, I got to meet Kitty when I met Flying Officer Summers. She can take care of herself; stop always trying to protect her honor, that's an ancient custom. Hey, I was like you too, with Bria Tharen, my fiancée. Some loudmouth did something similar when I was fresh out of the Academy. We were together before then and this loudmouth had been doing the same thing Zander's done to Kitty. I looked up Bria again after the Academy and heard about this clown. We got into a bad bar fight too. If it wasn't for a Flight Lieutenant Fetterman, I wouldn't be in the service right now because I'd have been court-martialed."  
  
The message sank home and Cerd resolved to control his temper next time. He actually attended an anger management seminar aboard the ship and it seemed to have an effect on him, a good effect, Cerd was less likely to lash out with anger. They finally reached Corellia and Scott had a wedding to prepare for. First, however, was the award's ceremony where Cerd was being promoted to Flight Lieutenant and receiving his Distinguished Service Cross and a Bar to his Distinguished Service Medal.  
  
A familiar face was in the crowd, the face of his uncle, Captain Mackenzie Calhoun, commander of the USS Excalibur. Cerd made a quick arrangement with Scott to invite Calhoun to Scott's wedding. Scott agreed.  
  
The special day was after the award's ceremony with the reception being held at the Officer's Club at Selon, Scott and Jeremiah's new duty station. Cerd was the best man at the wedding.  
  
"You cleaned up nicely." Scott said, seeing Cerd for the second time in full dress blues. He was used to seeing his friend in service blues, battle dress browns, or fatigues. He too was in full dress blues.  
  
"I made an exception to my scruffy look rule." Cerd replied, "Break a leg pal."  
  
Xavier was walking with Jean as the proxy for the father of the bride who was undergoing an appendectomy at the time. It was a simple ceremony except that Cerd had the ring in the wrong pocket but he quickly learned of his error and produced it. Jean Grey smiled serenely, as did Scott. Inside Cerd felt a tinge of jealousy; he was the lone wolf, the odd man out in this. He could see Kitty, one of the attendants standing nearby.  
  
The reception was held at the Ten Forward, couples threading across the dance floor as the DJ was just getting warmed up. Cerd gave the best man's speech, as was traditional, "I remember when I first met these two. It was ten years ago and they both were helpful to me, helping me adjust to a new city, a new school, and a new home. Throughout those ten years that I've known these folks I've known there was something a bond of some sort between these two. I wish them many years of happiness. Raise your glasses to Jean and Scott."  
  
Jeremiah was standing off by himself when the festivities began, sitting on the veranda overlooking the ocean. "Mind if I sit here?" came a voice.  
  
"No, not at all." Cerd replied, reaching into his pocket for a cigarette, remembering for the umpteenth time that he was quitting for this night. Funny, this was one where he could actually have used a cigarette between the teeth, but all he found was a piece of Trident so he chewed it.  
  
Kitty looked twice, and smiled, "You're not smoking."  
  
"I figured I'd give up, for tonight at least." Cerd replied, "So the bride and groom can have a smoke free evening."  
  
"That is so sweet." Kitty said.  
  
"So where's Zander?" Cerd asked.  
  
"I found out about his cheating ways and I finally found the strength to break up." Kitty said.  
  
"I'm sorry." Cerd said. Kitty looked puzzled and Cerd explained, "That it had to turn out this way for you."  
  
"Thanks." Kitty replied. After a moment of silence which neither spoke, Kitty said, "What about you? How have you been romantically?"  
  
"There's been the occasional girl, but nothing really serious." Cerd replied, his hurt for the first time not as guarded as it usually was.  
  
"Look, I'm sorry about Zander." Cerd replied, "I know you really had hopes.."  
  
"Jeremiah, it's over between me and Zander." Kitty replied, a tear forming in one eye.  
  
Cerd gently wiped it away, "Sorry."  
  
The notes from In the Still of the Night began to waft out onto the veranda. "May I have this dance?" Cerd asked.  
  
"Sure." Kitty said, smiling.  
  
They danced the slow song near Jean and Scott. "Jean, pinch me if I'm dreaming but."  
  
"I see them." Jean said, smiling, "It's them."  
  
During that dance Kitty remembered when she was moping over Zander, this song playing over the radio, when Jean said, "Kitty you'll find somebody new. Who knows, maybe Mr. Right may be right under your nose and you don't even realize it."  
  
In a moment of perfect clarity, Kitty realized that Mr. Right was none other than Jeremiah Cerd. How could I have not realized it, Jeremiah Cerd, you were the right one all along and I never even knew it. Jean Grey, the bride, looked toward her and smiled. I told you so. was what accompanied that smile.  
  
Cerd must have felt it too because as the song began to fade out, he led her back out onto the veranda. He saw someone else out there; two someone's actually, his uncle and his uncle's first officer, Commander Elizabeth Paula Shelby or Eppie as his uncle called her, embracing.  
  
"Looks like this place was occupied." Cerd replied, grinning, "That's his ex-fiancé, Aunt Eppie was what I used to call her as a kid.  
  
Calhoun saw what was going on and proceeded to lead 'Eppie' back to the dance floor. "I never dreamed that Mr. Right was sitting right under my nose." Kitty confessed.  
  
"Don't worry about it, we're both still alive and single, right?" Cerd asked.  
  
Before anything else was said, he impulsively kissed her. Kitty replied by kissing back. Both Kitty's parents saw this and Mr. Pryde put his arm around his wife. "Jean Grey was right, this fellow is really a good man." Mrs. Pryde replied.  
  
"Better than Zander at any rate. That boy was too full of himself. This one I've got a good feeling about." said Mr. Pryde.  
  
Cerd also spent a stint as a test pilot, testing an assortment of new aircraft. Powered by the Saber engine, the Hawksflight Typhoon fighter- bomber, armed with four plasma cannons and a load of either bombs or eight rockets was an aircraft Cerd spent his time testing.  
  
In December 2143, Cerd returned to action with a new unit, No. 572 Squadron flying the Typhoon fighter-bomber. This aircraft LZ 717, LDF, had the same device Cerd painted on his other two aircraft before them; he painted the name Kitty in azure blue on the engine cowling. He also added a small red heart beneath it.  
  
He made a kill over the channel, a Farn-Logar 160 fighter-bomber attacking a freighter in the Channel. And during the months before June 6, 2144, the great D-Day, the invasion of Alderaan, Cerd scored five more kills and was promoted to Squadron Leader on June 16, 2144.  
  
The battle of the Aldera gap was when the Mangalores attempted to evacuate Alderaan. The remaining Mangalore troops were isolated in the Aldera gap by a veritable ring of steel by the Earth Alliance and Corellian Commonwealth forces. The Mangalore air arm attempted to provide air cover.  
  
Gul Rusot, a famous Mangalore fighter ace from the Battle of Alderaan until this time was operating in the area. Cerd and his wingman, Bror Jace's squadron was bounced by JG 17 on July 17, 2144. Bror Jace attacked and pursued Rusot's wingman. Rusot attacked Jace and despite what he did, Jace was unable to evade Rusot's attack.  
  
Cerd turned and attacked the 118-kill Mangalore ace from behind. Rusot made an attempt to run away from the pursuing CAF fighter when his guns jammed. He was attempting evasive maneuvers, a series of intricate loops and turns until Cerd was got behind the enemy fighter and pumped several plasma blasts into it, Rusot's aircraft spun out of control and he ejected from the aircraft. The Mangalore was Cerd's twenty-seventh and final victory. No. 572 followed closely in the wake of the advance and flew support missions in support of the infantry and armor. The end came on May 6, 2145 when the Mangalores surrendered and two months later, the Tropicans did as well.  
  
Squadron Leader's Log: September 6, 2145  
  
This is my final entry as Squadron Leader for No. 572 Squadron or any squadron in the CAF, my retirement papers were approved and in three weeks I'm on my way home. This gives me time enough for one more thing. It's already been arranged.  
  
"Jeremiah, are you ready, you've been in there all day." Scott replied.  
  
"Strange, I never did that to you on your big day." Cerd replied.  
  
"That's because I wasn't trying to find a nicotine patch." said Scott.  
  
"You're right, ah screw it, no need to get all high strung over it." Cerd replied, jumping into Scott's car.  
  
"How come we're taking your car?" Cerd asked.  
  
"It's a surprise." Scott replied.  
  
It was Cerd's big day, the day he and Kitty were getting hitched. This was a moment they'd both remember, through good times and bad. The moment of perfect clarity they shared, the day they swore from that day forth that they would live for each other.  
  
Kurt Wagner, the best man, lead them out to their car, Cerd's newly renovated Corvette. Just Married was stenciled on the rear windshield. "That's the surprise." Scott replied.  
  
"Thanks." Cerd replied.  
  
"Looks like I finally found Mr. Right." Kitty said, as they drove off to the reception, "Right under my nose."  
  
"Looks like I'm no longer running from the past anymore." Cerd replied. Whatever the road had in store, Cerd knew that the he and Kitty would face it together.  
  
This is Only the Beginning 


End file.
